Ephesians

Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, Richard Peifer

Today we embark upon a 14 week study into Paul's letter to the Ephesians. If you want to about the grace of God you go to the book of Ephesians. So let's lay the foundation by looking at Acts and where, when, and why Paul wrote this letter.

• Join Bob Christopher and Richard Peifer each Friday as they work through this exciting study.

Categories: Grace Bible

Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, Richard Peifer

Chapter 1 of Ephesians is rich and full of truth. When the Spirit of God reveals truth it connects to the heart and changes everything. Paul's desire was to finish the race that God had set before him - to testify about Jesus Christ. Paul took the good news about Jesus wherever he went because that is what God prepared him to do. He addresses his readers as "saints". This is crucial for believers to understand. You are a saint because of who you are in Jesus Christ. Paul uses grace and peace in that order. You cannot experience the peace of God without the grace of God - and grace is a person, Jesus Christ.

Categories: Jesus Christ New Covenant

Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, Richard Peifer

Paul presents us with great truths and then offers a prayer for the Ephesians. Their faith in Jesus manifested itself in love towards one-another. He prays that they God would give them the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him. This is something that God alone can give. God wants to reveal the fullness of his son to us.

Categories: Jesus Christ New Covenant

Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, Richard Peifer

The bad news is that apart from Jesus Christ we are dead in our sins and our realm of existence is sin and death following the ways of this world. The good news is God is rich in mercy and because of his great love for you he sent Jesus to rescue you from the darkness and make you alive with him sustained by his grace through faith. Salvation is not the result of works - it can only be had by faith. It's by grace through faith from start to finish.

Categories: Jesus Christ New Covenant

Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, Richard Peifer

As Gentiles, our heritage was separated from Christ, alienated from Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise. But, in Christ, Jew and Gentile have been made one, we have been reconciled to God and the hostile relationship of the past is now one of brothers and sisters in Christ.

Categories: Law Grace Jesus Christ New Covenant

Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, Richard Peifer

God has formed one new body made up of Jew and Gentile, the church of Jesus Christ. Paul expands on that truth in Ephesians 3:1-13. Paul was imprisoned at the time of this writing, on behalf on the Gentiles. Paul's mission was to testify to the grace of God. The mystery of God's plan for his people was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit and he spent his life communicating this message. The mystery is that Gentiles were made fellow heirs and partakers of the promise of Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Categories: Jesus Christ New Covenant

Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, Richard Peifer

The Apostle Paul kneels before the Father and this prayer that he prays, reveals that Jew and Gentile have become one in Jesus Christ. The mystery that was hidden in God is now revealed. The church of Jesus is a family, brothers and sisters in Christ. A new covenant life that is lived by His Spirit through our inner being. Know that Christ indwells in our hearts by faith and personally know the love of Christ. This love that surpasses knowledge is for you and you can be filled with the fullness of God.

Categories: Jesus Christ New Covenant

Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, Richard Peifer

The Christian walk is marked by humility, gentleness, patience, love and the bond of peace. We are unified as one body with one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God and Father of all. Grace has been given to each one according to the measure of Christ's gift. This grace enables and empowers us to live in unity and grow together in the fullness of Christ.

Categories: New Covenant Holy Spirit Grace Jesus Christ Love Faith

Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, Richard Peifer

Ephesians 2:1-3 is a passage of contrast. Once you come to Christ, you are to put off (renounce) the old man. In other words, to count yourself dead to sin, which was your former way of life. Instead, you put on (display) the new you which was created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Categories: Jesus Christ New Covenant

Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, Richard Peifer

Jesus Christ offered himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Because the power of Christ lives in us, we have been equipped to live lives of love. We are connected to God the Father and our identity is derived from Him. Let thanksgiving replace sexual immorality, impurity or covetousness. Let your life be a fragrant offering of thanksgiving for all Christ has done. You are now in the light. Walk as children of light.

Categories: Jesus Christ New Covenant

Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, Richard Peifer

How do we live as a child of God? Ephesians 5:8-21 tells us. It is all based on a foundation of the grace that saved us. If we separate grace and how to live, we will become legalistic and performance based. It is the grace of God that saves us, it is the grace of God that moves in us today. It is about God's grace from start to finish. We experience that grace by faith. This passage uses a wonderful contrast - "At one time, but now". At one time you were in the dark, but now you are a child of light. In other words, there is something different about us now that we are in Christ.

Categories: Jesus Christ New Covenant Grace

Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, Richard Peifer

Our relationships can become very frustrating if they are not anchored in the grace of God. The love of God is to control us in every relationship we have. It is God's love that becomes the motivating factor in all our relationships. To be filled with the Spirit means this - submission one to another. It's how Jesus lived his life - constant submission to his Father. These admonitions regarding marriage, parent/child relationship, and our work relationships are relationships of love - anchored firmly to the grace of God.

Categories: Jesus Christ New Covenant Marriage Parenting/Children

Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, Richard Peifer

We're talking about relationships in light of the fact that we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Love needs to be the compelling force in all relationships. In Ephesians 6 Paul is addressing those who are married, those who are fathers and those who are slave or master. The gospel of Jesus Christ dignifies all human beings and all are raised to the identity of child of God by God's action toward them through Christ. The admonition is to allow your new identity to shape your actions toward other people.

Categories: Jesus Christ New Covenant Love

Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, Richard Peifer

This session concludes our teaching on Ephesians. As Paul met with the Ephesian elders he said "I am here to testify to the gospel of God's grace". Ephesians is a book all about the grace of God. It ends with grace as well. It is God's grace that equips us to live abundant, productive lives. We have been placed into the body called the "church". In this body, we belong to one another - one in Christ. This grace empowers us to love Jesus Christ with an incorruptible love. It is not corrupted by the world, nor does it deteriorate. It is living and growing and animated by God's love for us.

Categories: Jesus Christ New Covenant Love Grace