Ephesians bible study tools
To compliment our Midweek Bible Studies we have encouragements, reading plans, and resources for you! Scroll, click, and engage. We pray it blesses you!
Ephesians 1
Reading Plan:
Day 1 - Ephesians 1:1-10
Day 2 - Ephesians 1:11-14
Day 3 - Ephesians 1:15-22
Teaching on Ephesians 1
"Unmet Needs & Unfulfilled Desires”
Some thoughts on Ephesians 1
Before God tells us what we should do, He reminds us of who we are…
The book of Ephesians is known as the crowned jewel of the New Testament. Along with the book of Colossians, it is revered as one of the greatest masterpieces not just in Paul’s writing, but in all of religious writing. This book, originally written to the Ephesians, was copied and sent out to churches all throughout the Asia Minor.
The book is split up into two sections: Section One (chapters 1-3) and Section Two (chapters 4-6). The first three chapters of Ephesians are less about what we ought to DO as believers, and more about who we ARE as believers. While the last three chapters are an exhortation for what we DO in light of who we ARE.
It is like a song being sang over us, not demands being placed on us.
That leads us to talk about chapter one. In the original language, verses 3-14 are written as one jumbled run-on sentence. The structure of it has baffled many readers. Many have been led to believe it is just poor grammar from Paul because he was so excited - but that is simply not true. Verses 3-14 are written as a poem. They are a song of God’s love over us and the identity he has placed on us. And that’s the beauty of the first three chapters of Ephesians in general. It is like a song being sang over us, not demands being placed on us.
In verses 3-14, Paul reminds us of who we are because of what Christ has done:
We are blessed with every spiritual blessing (v.3)
We are chosen (v.4a)
We are holy and blameless before Him (v.4b)
We are predestined & adopted (v.5)
We are blessed in the Beloved to the praise of His glory (v.6)
We are redeemed by his blood and forgiven (v.7)
We are given insight and enlightened to His will (.v8-10)
We are inheritors of his purposes (v.11-12)
We are sealed with the Holy Spirit (v.13-14)
Are these qualities we have because of how great we are and how holy we are? Of course not! These are qualities Jesus has placed on us because of his sacrifice on the cross and resurrection.
Let the song of Ephesians One be sang over you.
When he died on that cross, he took our unrighteous identity upon himself and gave us a new identity. Now, we are called chosen, blessed, holy, etc. because of what Christ has done for us.
So here is the parting encouragement for us: We all believe lies about ourselves. Lies we tell ourselves or that other people tell us, or maybe even lies the enemy shouts in our heads. Lies like “You aren’t loved.” Or “You will never be worthy of anything.” These lies are toxic and will lead us in a spiral of sin and shame. Let the song of Ephesians One be sang over you. Be reminded and comforted that you are blessed, chosen, holy, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, enlightened, and sealed.
All to the glory of God!
Questions to consider:
What lies have you bought into that Christ wants speak away?
How do we walk worthy of this wonderful calling Christ has given us?
What does Ephesians 1 say about the character of Christ?
More Study Resources
Ephesians 2
Reading Plan:
Day 4 - Ephesians 2:1-10
Day 5 - Ephesians 2:11-22
Teaching on Ephesians 2-3
“God’s Way of Reconciliation”
Some Thoughts on Ephesians 2
We are all in need of community. It is embedded in our DNA to need the love and acceptance of family and friends. Even the most introverted among us have a desire to connect and feel known by other people. Why do you think that is?
Our hearts ache and groan after God.
Like many things in our lives, this need for human-connection echoes of an even greater need - divine connection. All of us, in our own way, have fallen short and fallen away from our Creator. This is the state of our hearts in a fallen world. We are “by nature children of wrath” and living in “the passions of our flesh”. We can’t seem to get out of our own way. Our hearts ache and groan after God. We long to walk with him as Adam and Eve once did in the Garden of Eden. But we feel “alienated” and “separated” from Him because of our sin. So, some of us in attempts to fill this void, seek to please him with good deeds and religious practices. Paul is here to remind us that this is not the way.
Paul reminds us twice that we are saved by grace and brought near to God by His great mercy. It is not our own doing, but His alone. Why is this so important? Why does Paul feel the need to emphasize it twice in just three sentences? It is because our good works, although they glorify God, cannot atone for our sins. Only the blood of Jesus can do that.
We do not do good works to connect with God, rather, it is a connection with God that empowers us to do good works.
And there is an important detail in all of this we should pay attention to… Paul does not brush away works as not important. In fact, he emphasizes good works in verse 10 - “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
What does this mean? It means good works are not a way for us to gain favor from God, but rather they are how we live out our calling as we live a life with God. We must not get it backwards. We do not do good works to connect with God, rather, it is a connection with God that empowers us to do good works.
So God has provided a way for us to connect with Him… but what about one another? The second half of Ephesians 2 reminds us of another blessing from God. Not only has he made a way for us to be connected with HIM, but he has also broken down any walls that divide US. We are made one in Christ.
In this divided age, it is important to remember that Christ’s mission is to unify everyone under His love. No matter what differences we may share with other churches, denominations, or family members, we are all unified by the gospel.
Questions to Consider:
What unhealthy patterns do we fall into when we emphasize good works over grace?
How does verse 10 affect the way we compare ourselves to others?
How does the love and gospel of Jesus unify us instead of divide us?
More Study Resources
Ephesians 3
Reading Plan:
Day 6: Ephesians 3:1-13
Day 7: Ephesians 3:14-21
Teaching on Ephesians 2-3
“God’s Way of Reconciliation”
Some Thoughts on Ephesians 3
It may not be breaking news to us, but it was certainly breaking news for the ancient world.
ANYONE - whether they be a Jew or Gentile - can have access to the God of the Hebrews. Paul had a unique calling from God. He was “made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”
The veil of mystery that had hidden God’s will from people was torn when Jesus died on the cross.
Paul was given the unique blessing of bringing the rich mystery of God to the Gentiles - a people who were once alienated from even learning about the God of the Bible. Paul preached that people can “boldly” approach God and have “access” to him with “confidence”. In here is the beauty of Ephesians 3. Paul is reminding us that we have access to God. Not just access to salvation through Jesus, but we also have access to understand his will, his purposes, and his plan for the world.
The veil of mystery that had hidden God’s will from people was torn when Jesus died on the cross. Now we have “insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.”
There is power and courage when we are brought into the will of God.
May we never, ever, ever underestimate the value of knowing God through his word. May we never take for granted that hundreds of generations passed before getting a clear glimpse into God’s plan of redemption. There is power and courage when we are brought into the will of God. Having access to Jesus and God’s will is supposed to give us boldness. It definitely did for Paul, who spent most of his life searching out the scriptures but finally realized its meaning when he met Jesus.
Paul wants to share this joy and boldness with us. That is why he gives us the intention behind his words. He is telling us all these things “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Questions to Consider:
What are some truths God has revealed to you that made you feel especially bold and courageous?
Paul prays that we would have strength to comprehend God’s love. Why would it take strength to understand the love of God?
More Study Resources:
Ephesians 4
Reading Plan:
Day 8: Ephesians 4:1-16
Day 9: Ephesians 4:17-32