Ephesians: Conclusion

We have come to the end of this particular journey. How I have enjoyed taking it with you! I have developed a deep love for the book of Ephesians and a deeper love and appreciation for Paul. My prayer is that you, as well, have been blessed by the weeks we have spent looking carefully into these precious words.



To summarize this splendid letter ... I want to remember deep in my spirit ...




I have every imaginable (and even those I cannot imagine!) blessing in Christ in the spiritual realm. He has brought me, a Gentile, into the family of God. He has drawn us near to Him, breaking down the barrier wall between Jew and Gentile. He has revealed His great mystery - that Jew and Gentile are united together, in Christ, into one new entity - the church.



Therefore, in light of such astounding truth, my task is to walk worthy of that position. How do we do that? Paul tells us ...

• We walk - not as Gentiles ... not as unbelievers



• We walk - in love ... which effects everything I do and say



• We walk - in light ... no longer intrigued by the things done in "darkness"



• We walk - in wisdom ... listening to and heeding the words from God



• We walk - in victory ... wrapped in the fullness of God Himself

Let's close by saying to each other across the miles and the electronic waves ...

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow

Praise Him all creatures here below

Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Amen.

Our next study will be ... "A Light in the Darkness: Elijah and Elisha" by Casandra Martin. We will begin the second week in January, 2010. If you would like to purchase the study guide that our women's classes at Bammel Church will be using ... it can be purchased at 21st Century Publishers. You can find the study guide at: www.21stcc.com

I pray that you enjoy a wonderful holiday season. May there be more joy than heartache and more peace than chaos!

Grace and peace ...

Ephesians: Lesson 10- Day 3

Ephesians 6: 18 - 24



The Energy



Our lesson this week is focusing on our instruction from Paul to "stand firm" against the schemes, the deceptions and lies, of Satan. Don't let him pin you down. Don't let him render you ineffective in the kingdom of God. Satan does not have omnipotent power to wrestle you to the ground - you can stand - and our stand will be firm and secure.



What is the energy source for such a stand? It comes through prayer. Our energy comes from prayer. Go back and read Ephesians 3: 14 - 21 again. Will you dare to believe that? Will you believe it for yourself as well as those for whom you pray?

I am drawn closer to Paul as I read his words about prayer. He not only instructs us, as Christ followers, to be diligent in prayer (in the Spirit and for all kinds of things - no limitations!), but he also requests that these believers pray for him. He wants to be fearless - he wants to fulfill his task boldly - and so he asks them to pray. Did you ever visualize Paul as timid? afraid? This reminds me that is just a man - touched and called by God - but he, too, struggles with the flesh and the temptation to quit. He, too, struggles with feelings of insecurity. He, too, gets weary. And so he asks for prayers for himself. I wonder if the original readers of this letter used his very words to pray for him. I suspect that many did. Will you take these words and pray for your preachers and pastors and teachers? Will you pray for yourself along the same lines? Will you pray for your fellow believers that are in your church and in churches around our globe?

Prayer is the energy that keeps us faithful to the tasks that the Lord places in front of us. Prayer is the energy that provides the ability to "stand firm" in the strength of His might. Be faithful in prayer ...

One more posting and we will wrap this little study up. I am praying for you ...

Ephesians: Lesson 10 - Day 2

Ephesians 6: 13 - 17

The Equipment

The full armor of God ... familiar words to Bible students ... a familiar image to anyone who grew up going to Sunday School ... remember the drawings where we filled in the blanks on each piece of the armor?

I can imagine Paul sitting at a table, chained to a Roman guard, writing to the believers in Ephesus. He is ready to close his letter. So he writes, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might." I can then imagine him pausing, repositioning his arm, hearing the chain rattle and looking up at the man to whom he is chained. I wonder if seeing that armor on his Roman guard captivated his mind and defined the next verses from his pen? And Paul begins to describe the elements that are a necessity for us, as believers, to stand firm in the Lord.

There is truth. Even in our particular culture that is awash in relativism, my fellow believer - there is truth. And it is Jesus.

There is righteousness. Even in our particular culture that ignores the reality of sin - that believes whatever feels right to you is right - there is still the righteousness of God - available to you and I through our Lord Jesus.

There is peace. Even in our war torn, violence ridden world - the reality of peace with God through Jesus calms our fears, secures our hearts and allows us to breathe deeply.

There is faith. Even in our culture that is marked by doubt and distrust and unbelief - there is still faith. It is strong. It is sure. And it protects.

There is salvation. Even in our culture that will spew ridicule on the word and the idea - there is security and confidence in the knowing that Christ is coming back, that this will come to an end, and that the believer is WITH Christ.

There is a sword. And it is the Word of God. It provides knowledge and insight. It stretches us, molds us, teaches us, challenges us. It corrects us, disciplines us, encourages us. It allows us to discern between the lies of the prince of this world and the truth of God. Use it well. And remember to use it against the real enemy - not against each other!

The full armor of God. It must be "put on". You must conscientiously decide to claim each piece for yourself and to deliberately choose to wear it each day. Memorize those words, those elements - and every morning when you are getting dressed, mentally put these on as well ... put on ...

truth - righteousness - peace - faith - salvation

and as you pick up your purse to head out the door, mentally pick up ...

the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.

Ephesians: Lesson 10 - Day 1

Well, my friends, you have made it to the final week of this study. Perseverance is a beautiful thing - and perseverance in a Bible study is something to be celebrated! I, for one, have never had a hard time getting excited at beginnings - never had any trouble starting things. It's the "finishing well" that presents the challenge. But we are finishing ...

For Lesson 10 - read Ephesians 6:10 - 24.

We have an enemy. And this enemy is not "flesh and blood". This enemy is the devil of old. And we are in the midst of a struggle. Who is this enemy? We learn from John 8:44 that he is a murderer and the father of lies. We learn from 1 Peter 5:8 that he is like a prowling lion - looking for those to devour. Refresh your memory of some of his tactics by reading Matthew 4: 1 - 11 again. Satan knows how to attack at our weakest moments and our most vulnerable places. He knows scripture ... and can artfully twist it to suit his own purposes. Listen to Warren Wiersbe: "Many Bible students believe that Satan was the anointed cherub whom God placed in charge of the newly created earth (Ezekiel 28: 11 - 19). through pride, he fell (Isaiah 14: 9 ff) and took with him a host of angelic beings who now make up his army of principalities and powers." He is a formidable foe. But never forget - he is a defeated foe! Christ went head to head with Satan ... and emerged victorious. Satan's primary tool against man was death. And our Lord rendered that a powerless threat.

Paul calls our conflict with Satan a "struggle" (verse 12) The Greek word that he has chosen is the word pale. This word means "a wrestling contest; a contest between two in which each endeavors to throw the other, and which is decided when the victor is able to hold his opponent down with his hand upon his neck." With the choice of this particular word, I think Paul is reminding us that Satan cannot kill us! Remember who you are ... ALIVE in Christ, seated with Him in the heavenly places, sealed in Him by the Holy Spirit of promise. We have learned all of those truths in this book of Ephesians. I believe that Satan knows his power is limited. It is in this "struggle" we see Satan's work. It is to keep you down - to keep you down so that you are ineffective to the kingdom of God - to diminish your witness - to pin you down so that you doubt your hope and your security and your ALREADY victory. So Paul says, STAND ...

Always remember, this struggle is not against flesh and blood. It really is not against human beings. Even when humanity is used by Satan to spread inconceivable violence and evil ... our struggle is not really with those humans. Keep your mind clear about that. Identify the source - the true source. Strive to be "Christ" to people - all kinds of people. And "stand firm in the strength of His might" against Satan.

We have an enemy ... he is real ... he is formidable ... he is limited ... and, most importantly, he is DEFEATED!!

So BE STRONG in the LORD and STAND FIRM ...

Ephesians: Lesson 9 - Day 3

Read again today our passage for this week: Ephesians 5: 15 - 6:9



Today I want to share with you a story from the "Holman New Testament Commentary on Ephesians" by Max Anders. As you read this story, let your mind place it in your home and in your church fellowship. It applies to both.



The Story:

Long, long ago in a kingdom far away lived a man who wanted to be a football coach. He heard of a coaching position open at a college where they had recruited many of the finest football players in the land. He applied and was hired as their football coach. The day of the first game, he said: "OK, boys. I want you all to feel a part of this team. I know that a lot of you have a lot of good ideas, so when we go out on that field, I want each of you to do what he thinks is best. As for me, I will be in my office doing what I enjoy best - reading sports magazines, watching football games, and talking to other coaches."



So the team clapped their hands in unison and stormed out onto the field. The coach zipped back into his office. The team lost that day. The quarterback called a play in the huddle, but the running back didn't like it. He wanted to run a play which they had used with great success in high school, so they argued a little bit. In the end when the ball was snapped, the running back ran the play he wanted; and the quarterback ran the play he wanted. The receivers each ran the plays they wanted, and they ended up running into each other and knocking each other down.



After three downs, the punter came out to kick but had to kick into the wind. He knew it wouldn't go very far that way, and that would be embarrassing to him, so he turned around and kicked the other direction. The ball went way up into the stands. It was a long, long kick, and the punter was very happy with himself. However, they were penalized for kicking the ball the wrong direction.





The linemen felt that the other team was hitting too hard, so they decided to leave the field. If they wanted to play that rough, they could just play with someone else. Many other things happened that day which caused the team to lose badly. It seemed such a shame, because actually the players on the losing team were better than the other team



The athletic director went into the coach's office the next day and said: "Listen, we can't play football this way. The whole purpose for hiring you was so you would be responsible to see that the team played as a team - each player making his maximum contribution.



So the next Saturday, the coach drew up a game plan and explained it to each of the players. He stayed on the sidelines and paid close attention to each play. If something was going wrong, he explained it to the players, instructed them as to what they should do, and corrected the situation.



Several times he didn't know what was wrong. He asked several of the players if they understood what was going wrong. The did. When they explained it, the coach asked them if they had suggestions. The team followed up on the suggestions in the next play and scored.



The moral:

Teamwork (which I, Gail, would call mutual submission) is essential any time more than one person is needed to succeed at something. In our day we are experiencing a crisis of authority, and it is easy to understand why. Sometimes, those in authority over us have mistreated us, and we have difficulty accepting authority any more. We have had presidents who have lied to us. They have been dishonest, unethical, and immoral. Head of companies have defrauded the company and investors out of billions of dollars. Military officials have abused power. Politicians have abused power. Nationally recognized religious leaders have abused power. Educators have abused power. Doctors have abused power. Journalists have abused power. Ministers have abused power. We are living in an age of abuse of power, and understandably, this has caused a crisis of authority.



This abuse of power has filtered down to the fundamental building block of society - the home. Just as society faces a crisis of authority, so does the home. We have men who won't lead, women who won't follow, children who won't obey, and parents who won't nurture. It is every man for himself. The ship is going down, so every person is out to save his own neck.



Against the backdrop of this ominous social upheaval, the Bible still speaks; and it still speaks truth. It still speaks words which, if followed, will bring order and truth and harmony to life. If being a Christian was every going to make a difference, it needs to make a difference now - in the home. We must not allow the attitude and experience of society to keep us from living biblically. We must each understand our biblical role and fulfill it.



And so we pray ... Heavenly Father, may we come to hate sin because of what it does to us and what it does to you. May we turn from it more and more completely. May we be filled with wisdom and with Your Holy Spirit, and may our marriages be a reflection of Your work in our lives. And may You be glorified in them ...

Ephesians: Lesson 9 - Day 2

Read Ephesians 5:18 - 6:9



Before we look more intently at verses 22ff, remember how Paul emphasizes that, as believers in Christ, we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit. As evidence of that filling - the person will exercise a spirit of submission. That spirit will certainly set the believer apart in this egocentric world! Paul tells the believers in Philippi to "look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4) Peter says, "Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble'." (1 Peter 5:5) The concept of Christians being driven by a spirit of humility and submissiveness rather than egocentricity and self-centeredness runs throughout scripture.



Paul moves from the general principle - submissive to one another - to 3 specific areas. Most commentators call them the "house codes". In the first century as Christianity was exploding around the Gentile world Christians were being criticized as disrupting the social order. With all of the talk about freedom in Christ and equality in the Lord, with women being included fully in the worship, the false reports about Christianity were flowing freely. Paul confronts that criticism head on.



The first of these house codes involves husbands and wives. The second involves children and fathers. The third involves slaves and masters. Keep the context in your mind as Paul addresses these groups.



Notice the groups:

Those with no power: include wives, children and slaves Those with all the power: include husbands, fathers and masters

He tells those with no power to go ahead and submit to the authority over them. He tells wives to do it with respect. He tells children to do it with honor and obedience. He tells slaves to do it with diligence and good service. It is what he tells the ones in power that is revolutionary! Those instructions most likely are the instructions that dropped the jaws of the readers. Husbands - love as sacrificially as Christ loved? Treat her as carefully as you treat your own body? Fathers - don't provoke your children to anger but nurture them, train them? Masters - quit threatening your slaves? Treat them with good will? Amazing ...

Don't rip verse 22 out of its context. Keep it in the flow of thought and honor the intent and integrity of the passage. When we do so ... we can examine our own relationships and properly evaluate them. Many of us can be quick to say, "But you don't know my husband!" or "You don't know my parents!" or "You don't know my boss!" No, but I know how Paul describes being filled with the Holy Spirit. I also know that we do not live in an ideal world. So - by the grace of God - with all humility - we strive to emulate the ideal whenever possible.



And we do all ... ALL ... as unto our LORD!!

Ephesians: Lesson 9 - Day 1

First, to those of you who are using this blog as your Bible study, I must apologize for the lack of activity last week. My schedule reached a frantic pitch and some things were rolled forward. With that said ... I ask your forgiveness and patience ... and let's move into Lesson 9.

Read Ephesians 5: 15 - 21. Reading out loud sometimes slows us down and helps us focus on the words and the flow of thought.

In these verses we encounter the wonderful phrase "filled with the Spirit". I believe there is much confusion about that. What does it mean? What does that "filling" look like? Are you? How do you know? If not, why not? This seems to be instruction to believers. As you consider those questions, I want to share a bit about the structure of these verses which I think helps clarify.

We have already seen much in this letter about "walking worthy of the call with which we have been called." We have learned that it is to be no longer as the Gentiles walk. We found that it is to be in love. (God is love) It is also to be in the light. (Jesus is the Light) Verse 15 adds to our understanding. The worthy walk is to be in wisdom. That wisdom includes our use of time. Pause for a moment and reflect on your use of time. This day is all we have. What we waste is gone. What we spend in foolish pursuits or in frivolous activity is gone. Evaluate your own use of time. Ask God to show you where you are wise and where you are perhaps foolish. Please do not hear this as a call to obsessive activity! There is great wisdom in quiet, reflective time. There is great wisdom in time to decompress when needed. There is great wisdom in setting aside time just between you and God. Make wise use of time.

Another point of wisdom is in our seeking to understand the will of the Lord. That is why we do Bible study!

In Greek, verses 18 - 21 comprise one sentence. The NIV translation uses five. That creates some interpretation challenges. In this one sentence, there are only 2 commands, 2 imperatives. Those are: 1) do not get drunk with wine and 2) be filled with the Spirit. The command to "be filled" is followed by 5 participles all describing the action. These participles give evidence of what a person filled with the Spirit does. The person filled with the Spirit is involved in speaking to fellow believers. He/she is a singing person. He/she is a 'melodying' person - makes melody in her heart (the core of who she is). Doesn't that ring of joy? He/she is a thanking person - thanksgiving comes from his lips because of Jesus. And he/she is one who submits to fellow believers. There is mutual give and take as body life is lived out. That means respect for the "other" - it means a willingness to honestly listen to the 'other' - it means that one doesn't always get their own way! Mutual submission ... indeed a revolutionary idea! That is what it means to be "filled with the Spirit".

My prayer for us today ... May we all be more open in our hearts to receive the Spirit of God. May we reflect that Spirit in all our interactions today. And may the joy of the Lord spill out of our overflowing, singing hearts!

Ephesians: Lesson 8 - Day 3

Read Ephesians 5: 1 - 14.

In Ephesians 4:22 - 24 Paul tells us to "lay aside the old self" - that corrupted, lustful, greedy, self-centered self - and "put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created to righteousness and holiness ..."

How do we put it on? I have a daughter getting married soon. So we are in the midst of all the planning and activity. One bridesmaid's dress that we looked at online is a garment that has 2 long wings for a top and you can wrap those wings in a variety of ways to create different looks. Sounds like a clever idea ... however, I kept looking at the pictures thinking, "How in the world do you put that on?" The same thought comes to mind as I think about putting on this new self that is to be righteousness and holiness. How in the world do I put that on!!

Paul does not leave us to wonder. He says that we must imitate God like little children imitate their parents. It's the same principle. It is so sweet to watch a little boy swagger behind his dad trying to match his steps. Or to watch a little girl copy her mother's placement of her hands or watch her say to her doll the things that have been said to her. (However, sometimes that is more sobering than sweet!) But the point is clear ... copy God. Do like Him. Watch Jesus and see how He interacted with people - then copy. Listen to Jesus and hear the things He said and when He said them - then copy. Watch what made Him angry - then copy. Watch His compassion - then copy. Watch His heart - then copy. Watch Him love - then copy. Watch Him forgive - then copy. "Be imitators of God" ... that's how you put on the new self.

Another thing that stands out to me in our reading today is this word "greed". We always associate that word with money. And money certainly applies. I so desperately want to "put off" this part of my nature because Paul says it is the same as idolatry! So what is it? The Greek word is pleonexia. Its meanings include: greed, a greedy desire to have more; covetousness; avarice; exploitation, taking advantage of. We can have a greedy spirit toward many things, not just money. Do you know that spirit? We live in a culture that feeds a greedy spirit. And it becomes a monster with which we must do battle. I would define the monster as "the lust for more". The monster devours contentment, drives people and marriages into horrific debt, feeds addictions and destroys peace. Ask God to show you anyplace in your life where you are "greedy". He will show you ... then, deal with it!

One final thought for today ... notice the play between darkness and light. Coming to Christ is coming out of darkness and into light. Praise God that He makes that possible! So much of what Paul is talking about is how to live in the light - how to walk in the light - how to be children of light. You really are "light in the Lord". Do you believe it about yourself? If you are a believer and have come to Christ ... you are light! Paul's wants you to stay there. He wants you to live there, to make your home there, to set up your 'nest' there. Remember the way we closed Day 1? "Light of the world You stepped down into darkness". Our task is to remain in the light. Our task is to walk in the light. How is the world going to see if there is no light? Light is an absolute necessity because ...

• light produces fruit (v. 9) and we are to produce the fruit of the Spirit of God (Galatians 5: 22 - 23)
• light exposes motives (v. 10) and we continually need a check on our motives
• light exposes evil (v. 12) and we must be able to see clearly or we can easily be deceived

Our world is in terrible darkness ... light is a necessity to be able to see ... so, my friends,

KEEP THE LIGHTS ON!!