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Ephesians.
Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Feb 19, 2024 (message contributor)
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1. Blessing The One Who Blesses Us With Blessings.
Contributed on Nov 23, 2013
Chosen to be holy.
BLESSING THE ONE WHO BLESSES US WITH BLESSINGS. Ephesians 1:3-14. In their original language, these verses constitute the longest sentence in the whole Bible. They form one long celebration of the Blessed One, who blesses us with blessings (Ephesians 1:3). The blessings begin with Him, bring ...read more
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2. Implications Of The Ascension Of Jesus.
Contributed on Apr 5, 2014
Seated in the heavenlies, head over all things, exercising dominion, filling all things for the church.
IMPLICATIONS OF THE ASCENSION OF JESUS. Ephesians 1:15-23. This single-sentence prayer is a follow-up to the single-sentence praise of Ephesians 1:3-14. God has blessed Paul’s readers with faith (Ephesians 1:15), so the Apostle ceases not to give thanks for them, and continues to pray for them ...read more
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3. God's Workmanship.
Contributed on Aug 30, 2013
We were dead in trespasses and sins - "But God..."! The gift of faith, and the works we are called to do.
GOD’S WORKMANSHIP. Ephesians 2:1-10. 1. SIN. Speaking to the Christians in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul said: “You - who were dead in your sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Sin is any disobedience to, or breaking of, the law of God. By nature, since the fall of Adam, man is disobedient to God’s law. Man ...read more
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4. From Alienation To Reconciliation.
Contributed on Nov 15, 2023
"For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Ephesians 2:18).
FROM ALIENATION TO RECONCILIATION. Ephesians 2:11-22. EPHESIANS 2:11. Paul addresses the Ephesian church as being “in times past Gentiles in the flesh.” and he points to the historic antagonism between Jews and non-Jews. On the one hand, Gentiles were scorned as “the Uncircumcision;” on the ...read more
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5. The Unveiling Of The Mystery.
Contributed on Nov 23, 2013
A hitherto hidden reality is now revealed.
THE UNVEILING OF THE MYSTERY. Ephesians 3:1-12. The “For this cause” of Ephesians 3:1 follows Paul’s contemplation of the reconciliation accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:11-22). Jesus, by His own blood, had resolved the estrangement between God and man, and had broken down the ...read more
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6. Knowing The Unknowable.
Contributed on Dec 28, 2013
The Cross-shaped love of Christ.
KNOWING THE UNKNOWABLE. Ephesians 3:14-21. The “For this reason” of Ephesians 3:14 echoes Ephesians 3:1, and picks up the thread of thought that was left there. This follows Paul’s contemplation of the reconciliation accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:11-22). Jesus, by His own ...read more
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7. Unity In Diversity - Complete.
Contributed on Jun 10, 2022
The church is an ongoing mutually upbuilding and up-growing work.
UNITY IN DIVERSITY. Ephesians 4:1-16. 1. Our unity is based in the unity of all three Persons of the Godhead (Ephesians 4:1-6). EPHESIANS 4:1. We are asked to “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” How do we do that? EPHESIANS 4:2. “With all lowliness” = humility. Like the ...read more
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8. The New Man.
Contributed on Dec 1, 2023
Having put on the new man, so walk.
THE NEW MAN. Ephesians 4:17-24. Having argued the case for keeping the unity of the body of Christ (cf. Ephesians 4:1-16), Paul now moves on to insist upon the maintenance of true holiness (EPHESIANS 4:17-24). EPHESIANS 4:17. The “therefore” connects with the ‘therefore’ in Ephesians 4:1. Paul ...read more
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9. The Law Of Love And The Body Of Christ.
Contributed on Dec 15, 2023
Christian life and love.
THE LAW OF LOVE AND THE BODY OF CHRIST. Ephesians 4:25-32, Ephesians 5:1-2. All of our relationships within the body of Christ must be governed by the Christian law of love (cf. Ephesians 4:2). We are to “walk in love” (EPHESIANS 5:2). One of the practical reasons given for “putting away the ...read more
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10. Walking In Love And Light.
Contributed on Mar 6, 2024
Being the people who we are in Christ Jesus, and shunning all evil.
WALKING IN LOVE AND LIGHT. Ephesians 5:1-9. When we are ‘imitators’ of God as ‘beloved children,’ we will ‘walk in love’ (agape) toward one another (cf. EPHESIANS 5:1-2). Our model of love is the Lord Jesus Christ, who ‘loved us and gave Himself for us.’ His love was a sacrificial love, and His ...read more
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11. Awake Thou Sleeper
Contributed on Mar 23, 2014
The tension between light and darkness resolved as we shake off our drowsiness!
AWAKE THOU SLEEPER! Ephesians 5:8-14. A. Paul contrasts what believers once were (darkness) with what we now are (light in the Lord) (Ephesians 5:8). i) We are to walk IN the light (1 John 1:7), for the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:22-23) IS the fruit of light (cf. Ephesians 5:9); ii) ...read more
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12. A Wise Use Of Time
Contributed on Jul 18, 2015
Three negatives negated, and three positives endorsed. Redeeming the time. The Holy Spirit and the word of Christ. An exhortation to praise and thanksgiving.
A WISE USE OF TIME. Ephesians 5:15-20. Despite popular opinion, the Christian “life” or Christian “walk” is not a style of living or a level of morality that we must first attain before we can ever be recognised as true Christians. On the contrary, the Christian “walk” or the Christian “life” ...read more
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13. Christian Submission: Wives And Husbands.
Contributed on Mar 20, 2024
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Ephesians 5 verse 21.
CHRISTIAN SUBMISSION: WIVES AND HUSBANDS. Ephesians 5:21-33. The sequence of Ephesians 5:18-21 is to go on being filled with the Spirit, exhorting one another in psalms, singing with all your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always: “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God” ...read more
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14. Children, Parents; Servants, Masters.
Contributed on Apr 2, 2024
Doing all as to the Lord.
CHILDREN, PARENTS; SERVANTS, MASTERS. Ephesians 6:1-9. We are continuing to unfold the practical implications of ‘Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God’ (Ephesians 5:21). Children are exhorted to obey their parents “in the Lord” (EPHESIANS 6:1). The first reason given is, ...read more
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15. A Spiritual Armoury
Contributed on Jul 25, 2015
Making our stand on the word, and prayerfully advancing in evangelism.
A SPIRITUAL ARMOURY. Ephesians 6:10-20. “Go on being made strong,” begins the final exhortation of this Epistle. Having been made strong in the past by relying on the Lord, so make your stand now “in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). Do not yield one inch: do not ‘give place to the ...read more
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16. The Beginning And End Of Ephesians.
Contributed on Apr 5, 2024
Opening greeting and closing benediction.
THE BEGINNING AND END OF EPHESIANS. Ephesians 1:1-2, Ephesians 6:21-24. In my studies around the book of Ephesians, I have occasionally come across the attitude that this book could not have been written by Paul, because it is too impersonal. Yet, if we take the time to read the beginning ...read more