Pastor Jim Thomas
Ephesians
- Chapters 1-3
- Beliefs
- Doctrine
- Indicatives
- Wealth in Christ
- What Christ has done
- Chapters 4-6
- Behavior
- Practice
- Imperatives
- Walk in Christ
- Our responses
- “In Christ” appears 13 times
- “In Him” appears 8 times
- Chapter 1 has 10-12 of these occurrences
Strong Trinitarian Focus
- Father – choosing and calling (v. 3-6)
- Son – saving and redeeming (v. 7-12)
- Spirit – sanctifying and sealing (v. 13-14)
Ephesians 1:1-14
In Christ, God has…
- Blessed us (v. 3)
- Chosen us (v. 4)
- Predestined us (v. 5)
- Adopted us (v. 5)
- Graced us (v. 6)
- Redeemed us (v. 7)
- Revealed His will to us (v. 9)
- Granted us an eternal inheritance (v. 11)
- Sealed us in Christ with the HS (v. 13)
“In Christ” – Christ is the source and focus of victory:
- His Cross accomplished victory
- His Resurrection confirmed victory
- His Ascension perpetuates victory
Discussion Questions
- What does Ephesians 1 teach us about being “in Christ?”
- What do we learn about God and what do we learn about ourselves from Ephesians 1?
- What does Paul’s prayer reveal about his concerns and hopes for believers?
- How might the truths from Ephesians 1 transform us? How might believing these truths change the way we think, the way we behave or, the way we treat others?
“Divine illumination and human thought belong together. All our thinking is unproductive without the Spirit of truth; yet his enlightenment is not intended to save us the trouble of using our minds. It is precisely as we ponder what God has done in Christ that the Spirit will open our eyes to grasp its implications.”
– John Stott, The Message of Ephesians
“The grace of God in Christ provides us with a new identity, a heavenly one; it follows that this — and not our natural identity — determines everything we do. Our identity, our citizenship, is heavenly.”
– Sinclair Ferguson, Worthy: Living in Light of the Gospel
“Abide in Me says Jesus. Cling to Me. Stick fast to Me. Live the life of close and intimate communion with Me. Get nearer to Me. Roll every burden on Me. Cast your whole weight on Me. Never let go your hold on Me for a moment. Be, as it were, rooted and planted in Me. Do this and I will never fail you. I will ever abide in you.”
– J.C. Ryle