Remember report card day in school? It contained your grades but also a report about your conduct. Christian conduct is even more important. In Ephesians chapter four, our conduct becomes the central focus as Paul writes about unity in the body. Today, as we examined these ancient words, we should realize they call us to consider our conduct and how it contributes to the building up of the body.
As Christians we believe Christ offers the best hope for unity among all peoples. But what does that unity look like? On what is it based, and how does it work? Paul writes to his Ephesian audience to answer those very questions.
Out with the old and in with the new is a popular New Year resolution. That very description could be given to Paul's instructions in Eph. 4:17-32. According to Paul, the only way to start over is to change the way you think. When we do that we will change how we act.
Considering the church is God's household (Eph. 2:19), in the book of Ephesians we might compare Eph. 6 to "The Garage." It's a place to get prepared or geared up to go into the world to face the enemy. Eph. 6:10-24 is like an intelligence briefing for successfully engaging in this conflict.
In our tour of God’s house from the book of Ephesians we come to the kitchen. If you are a part of a family you know disagreements happen. The best place to settle disagreements is around the kitchen table. Ephesians chapter four is Paul’s appeal for unity. You might call it Paul’s recipe for unity.
The six chapters in Ephesians can be compared to rooms in God's house, the church. In Ephesians 3, we compare this to a "trophy room" where something prized or valuable is displayed. In Ephesians, that's the church. We are reminded in this lesson that the church is God's plan to reach the world, amaze the angels and bring glory to God.
In the second chapter of Ephesians, we enter the family room. Imagine sitting around a room with family and remembering the past like we often do in family gatherings. For God's family, we need to remember what sin did to us and then remember what great things God has done for us.
At times in life we come to a crossroads and our decision shapes our life. But even after becoming a Christian, we still have these crossroads. Every day we are faced with the challenge to go back and follow the tide of culture or to stand up for Christ. This lesson explores those choices from Eph. 4:17-24.
Ephesians 5:22-33 seems like a text about marriage, right? Well, it is but it's also about something much bigger than just marriage. Paul explains that this passage is actually explaining the mystery of Christ and the church through the husband and wife relationship! There's much to learn here about marriage between spouses and about Christ and the church.
There are so many ways the word "father" is used in Scripture, but the most important way is to refer to God as our Father. In this lesson we explore God as our Father through a epistle of Ephesians. Don't miss the blessing of having God as your Father!
