His Will to Proclaim - Week 5
Lesson Five Eph. 3:1-21
Understanding the Truth with one another
Verse by Verse ~ Topic by Topic ~ Argument by Argument
1. What is the mystery of Christ? (verses 4-6) Who alone knew the mystery? (verse 9)
2. Take out the God>Servant>CosmicPersons chart on page 4. Discuss the headings and purpose of the layout. Note that the details are simply taken from the passage directly or can be inferred from the details. For now, just move through the chart verse by verse and share what you notice.
a. List some patterns you see in this text & chart for how God makes and enables a servant leader.
CONTEXT – Paul identifies himself as prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of the Gentiles and is about to pray for God to strengthen the one body of Jews and Gentiles. But then....he breaks off. Note the dash; it signifies an aside, which is when an author digresses to another related, yet separate thought. In this case, Paul digresses to assure the Gentiles that his imprisonment fulfills God’s plan for their glory.
Read Ephesians 3:1-13.
God called Paul to a particular service for a specific people, time, and place to fulfill His glorious plan. Consider that Paul’s calling is a paradigm for every believer’s ministry, including your own, and for every local church’s ministry, including Grace Bible Church’s.
b. List some patterns you see in this text & chart for how one servant leader’s ministry affects the church (who consists of other servants).
c. How does one servant leader’s ministry affect those not in Christ as well as rulers and authorities?
CONTEXT – Paul states “For this reason” again because he is picking up the thread he started in Ephesians 3:1. The reason he references goes back to -- “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22
Read Ephesians 3:14-21
3. Considering Ephesians 2:19-22 and 3:1-13, why does Paul petition God to strengthen the Ephesians with power through His Spirit in their inner being?
4. Considering Ephesians 2:19-22 and 3:1-16, why does Paul petition God to strengthen the Ephesians to comprehend with all the saints the limitless dimensions of the love of Christ?
Connecting to one another
5. Share a personal story or a story of Grace Bible Church that fleshes out a pattern your group noted in the chart.
o How were the servants in your story strengthened with Holy Spirit power?
o How was God’s love comprehended?
Living the Truth as we are sent out
6. From what we have read in Ephesians, it is clear that God initiated a relationship with each of us and is joining us together to raise a holy temple where He dwells. As Paul writes this, he dwells in prison, yet God is strengthening him.
o Are you currently serving a specific people in a specific place for our specific time in such a way that you NEED God’s strength to walk in Holy Spirit power and are being challenged to comprehend His love? If not, how could you grow in depending upon Him?
o Or is God giving you a burden for a specific people that would require this type of dependence on God? How are you processing that?
o What joys does a dependent servant experience that cannot be found outside a relationship with God and His Church?
Praying Through the Truth for one another
Pray through Ephesians 3:14-21 for our church and the global Church that we would make visible the truths of this passage to the glory of God. Use space below for individual servant’s requests.
Worship ALL Week - At Grace we trust Christ to transform us as we abide in Him daily.
READ
o Homework–Read Ephesians4:1-16.
MEDITATE
o Homework--Take notes on how we are to walk in a way that is worthy of our calling.Consider how God matures us as individuals and as the Church under Christ.
ACT
o Continue to pray for yourself as a servant called to be dependent upon God so that others may know Him.
o Continue to pray for our church to be the fullness of Christ who fills all in all.
o Take a small step that requires you to serve independence on God. Watch Him strengthen you.
God’s joy and strength to you!
kpaulson@gracelaredo.org
God>>>>>>>>>>>Servant>>>>>>>>>>Cosmic Persons
