Evening guys, it's time for Bible study, I believe we all had a wonderful Sunday.
"Let us pray, Father we say thank you for this past week, everything went well and we had no reason to cry or mourn we are grateful. We are gathered here once again by your grace to listen to your word, we ask that we'll pay attention and that your word will mix with faith in our hearts and bring forth fruits in Jesus name. Amen"
Last week we agreed to do a study of the book of Ephesians and we're starting today. I did mine study and I hope we all did ours too. I'll just use this time to talk about the lessons I learnt.
Before we go on, please let's take this thing seriously. Psalms 1 says the person that delights in God's word shall be like a tree planted by the waters and brings forth his fruits in his season (I.E productivity) and that all he does shall prosper.
So please let's endeavor to do our assignment by studying along. Thank you.
Image source: twitter
Ephesians 1
A brief introduction:
Paul is the writer of this wonderful letter. He wrote it when he was a prisoner in Rome to the Christians at Ephesus, a city that's still existing today. The church at Ephesus was a very strong one in present day Turkey but I'm sure you've heard that most of Turkey is now muslim.
Verse 1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Paul knew and understood who he was, he had no conflict or confusion over his personality or identity.
He said an Apostle. Then he said by God's will. Not man's will or anything like that but it was God's will.
Point here is I believe our first and primary identity should be our spiritual one I.E the one we have in Christ. Every other thing should stem from that.
Now another thing I saw here is the people he wrote to. He said to the saints and faithful in Christ.
Saint means holy, pure. Now you'll agree with me that there is no perfect church. So was Paul lying or just whining the christians at Ephesus? I don't think he was lying. The thing is holiness is not something you achieve or work for, rather it is a nature, a state of something. They are not holy because they did certain things or because they didn't commit sin, they are holy because they are in Christ. Holiness is a nature Christ bestows. This applies to us all. That's why he added faithful. He would not have to add faithful if holiness was something you achieve.
Also, he addressed other people he wrote to that way, Paul addressed the Galatians and others that way.
Verse 2
Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ
I believe we all understand this verse as its simple and explanatory. No thoughts on it.
Verse 3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Let me point out something really important here
Your prayers will only work to your understanding of God's word. What I'm saying is, your understanding of God's word determines how effective your prayers will be.
That's why we are doing this study, so we will be able to pray effective prayers that get immediate answers. We've been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ
That keeps occurring in this book, in Christ. I believe those blessings are only available in Christ, and how are we in Christ? When we believe in Christ.
How do I know this?
John 17:21
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
'They ' here means believers.
Verse 4:
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
One thing we need to note here is that God is not a REACTIVE God. What that's means is that it is not after an event or occurance that God starts trying to figure out what to do next.
I'm sure we've all wondered and asked that if God knew everything then why did he create man and then allow him to fall into sin. But the thing is He had prepared a way out for man before he even created man.
This is an encouragement to anyone out there wondering if God even cares about what he's going through. Let me tell you this, before you entered that thing he had prepared a way out for you.
When he asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac and then provided a ram to be killed instead, do you think God started making a new 🐏 at that time? I don't think so, in fact I believe the ram had been there but he just didn't see it.
Genesis 22:13
And lifting up his eyes, Abraham saw a sheep fixed by its horns in the brushwood: and Abraham took the sheep and made a burned offering of it in place of his son.
If only you will like Abraham lift up your eyes then you'll see a way out of that situation, remember your help comes from above, from the maker lf heaven and the earth.
I believe we've all learnt something tonight.
Let's pray,
Father we thank you for your word. We ask that you help us be students of your word and that you help us take your word more seriously, in Jesus name we have prayed, Amen.
Please as usual, questions and comments are welcome.