BIBLE STUDY: EPHESIANS
GLORIA DEI, FALL 2009
SESSION 5: CHAPTER 4:17—5:7
1. Timeline:
October 25
November 1
November 8
4:17-5:7
5:8-6:9
6:10-23
2. Introductions and Prayer
3. Review:
-Disunity/divisions in the “fall”
-God’s plan for the fullness of time: to unite all things in Christ (1:10)
-Open up and let the Gentiles in! (3:6-10)
-ONE body/Spirit/hope/Lord/faith/baptism/God and Father of us all (4:4-6)
-God’s gifts: apostles/prophets/etc…for building up the Body of Christ (4:12)
4. Listen to chapter 4:17-5:7
5. Gentile Jeopardy – Read again 4:17-19
-What’s the problem? (vv. 18-19)
6. The ABC’s of Jesus – Read again 4:20-24
-How did they learn Christ? (hint: out with the bad, in with the good…vv. 20-24)
-Are we any different?
-Is our struggle ever finished?
-What piece of advice here is most helpful to you?
7. The Do’s and Don’t’s of the Kingdom of God – Read again 4:25-5:7
-Name all the command verbs used in these verses…
-Describe the situation of the Church in Ephesus…
-Which command is most important to you? To Gloria Dei?
8. Assignment for November 1st: read Chapter 5:8-6:9
BIBLE STUDY: EPHESIANS
GLORIA DEI, FALL 2009
SESSION 4: CHAPTER 4:1-16
1. Timeline:
October 11
October 18
October 25
November 1
November 8
4:1-16
off
4:17-5:7
5:8-6:9
6:10-23
2. Introductions and Prayer
3. Review:
-Disunity/divisions in the “fall”
-God’s plan for the fullness of time: to unite all things in Christ (1:10)
-God is destroying disunity (2: 12) by uniting us in Christ (2:21)
-Open up and let the Gentiles in! (3:6-10)
-Watch the blessings of God flow through the Spirit (3:16-21)
4. Listen to chapter 4:1-16
5. One is the holiest number – Read again 4:1-6
-What are the marks of a worthy life? (v. 2-3)
-How can there be so many ones??? (vv. 4-6)
-What is God’s ultimate goal for us?
6. Up the Down Staircase?? – Read again 4:7-13
-How does Christ’s gift of faith look in my life? (v. 7)
-See Psalm 68:18 for Paul’s quote in v. 8
-Up and Down (vv. 9-10) What is this all about? (cf. I Peter 3:18-20, 4:6)
-What do God’s gifts look like? (vv. 11-12)
-God’s purpose for giving these gifts? (v. 13)
7. Alarm, Advice, Admonition – Read again 4:14-16
-What is the challenge we face? (v. 14)
-How does Paul challenge us to respond? (v. 15)
-How does the body grow? (v. 15-16)
8. Assignment for October 25th: read Chapter 4:17-5:7
BIBLE STUDY: EPHESIANS
GLORIA DEI, FALL 2009
SESSION 3: CHAPTER 3:1-21
1. Timeline:
October 4
October 11
October 18
October 25
November 1
November 8
3:1-21
4:1-16
off
4:17-5:7
5:8-6:9
6:10-23
2. Introductions and Prayer
3. Review:
-Disunity/divisions in the “fall”
-God’s plan for the fullness of time: to unite all things in Christ (1:10)
-Destined to believe, love and serve
-Dead to sin, alive in Christ (2:5)
-God destroyed disunity (Alaska vs. Outside – v. 12).
-The Spirit works to unite us in Christ (2:21)
4. Listen to chapter 3
5. A Radical Revolution – Read again 3:1-7
-What’s the big deal?
-Mystery (v. 3), mystery (v. 4), mystery (v. 5)
-WHO is coming to dinner??? (v. 6)
-What’s the big deal? (look again at v. 1)
6. A Glorious Calling?? – Read again 3:7-13
-How was Paul called by God? Why is he “the least of all the saints” (v. 8)?
-Mystery Theater (v. 9) – what happened and whodunit?
-What does this mean: for Jewish Christians? For Gentile Christians?
-A Back-Stage Pass (v. 12)
7. Who’s your Daddy? – Read again 3:14-21
-Who’s in and who’s out? (v. 14)
-What does Paul pray will happen to these newcomers to the faith? (v. 16-19)
-What’s the big deal? (hint: go back to v. 10)
8. So what?
-How will this come to pass? (v. 20-21)
9. Assignment: read Chapter 4:1-16
BIBLE STUDY: EPHESIANS
GLORIA DEI, FALL 2009
SESSION 2: CHAPTER 1:15-2:22
1. Timeline:
September 27
October 4
October 11
October 18
October 25
November 1
November 8
1:15-2:22
3:1-21
4:1-16
off
4:17-5:7
5:8-6:9
6:10-23
2. Introductions and Prayer
3. Review:
-Bible Study 101 (Historical, Story, etc.)
-Disunity/divisions in the “fall”
-God’s plan for the fullness of time: to unite all things in Christ (1:10)
-How does the Spirit create faith in us? (1:13)
-Destined: What does this mean for us???
4. Listen to chapter 1:15-2:22
5. Manifest Destiny – Read again 1:15-23
-Eyes in our hearts (1:18) lead to knowledge of hope, riches, power
-Who is the source of this power?
-What does it mean for our lives (especially for those who feel powerless?)
6. Sweet, Sacred Death – Read again 2:1-10
-Who is dead? What killed them? What do zombies like to eat?
-Who came to their rescue and how?
-What does this mean for us?
7. Divisions are Destroyed – Read again 1:11-22
-Identify the divisions in the Ephesian community (Alaska vs. Outside).
-What has changed the relationship between these groups?
-How did it happen? (Identify the verbs…)
8. So what?
-Identify divisions within our community (family, congregation, city, state, etc.)
-What impact, if any, does this text have on our role in those divisions?
9. Assignment: read Chapter 3:1-21
BIBLE STUDY: EPHESIANS
GLORIA DEI, FALL 2009
SESSION 1: CHAPTER 1:1-14
1. Timeline:
September 20
September 27
October 4
October 11
October 18
October 25
November 1
November 8
1:1-14
1:15-2:22
3:1-21
4:1-16
off
4:17-5:7
5:8-6:9
6:10-23
2. Introductions
3. Bible Study 101 (Historical, Story, etc.)
4. Listen to chapter 1:1-14
5. Silence and Prayer
6. Introduction (Part 1) 1:1-2
-Paul’s “credentials” – This is who Paul is
-Congregation’s “credentials” – This is who the people are
7. Introduction (Part 2) 1:3-14 – This is the One in Whom we believe
-Underline each verb associated with:
-who God is
-what God has done/is doing/will do
8. Introduction (Part 3) 1:3-14 – This is who we God made us to be
-Underline each verb associated with:
-who we are in the light of God’s actions
-what we are called/able to do
9. God’s plan for the fullness of time (1:10)
-gather up = unite…
-Question: What needs to be united in our world?
-Genesis 2-11 Unity is completely broken into disunity
10. Destiny and Devotion (1:11-14)
-11 – destined according to the purpose…
-12 – live for the praise of his glory…
-13 – heard, believed, marked…
-14 – inheritance…