Ephesians 1:1-23
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven,a and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trustedb in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation inc the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
CHAPTER 1
The author of this letter is ___________. He is an apostle. The word apostle means ____________________. He states that he is not an apostle by his own choice. He is an apostle by the will of _________. The letter is addressed to the _____________ at Ephesus. It is also addressed to the _______________ in Christ Jesus."____________ and ____________" was a common form of greeting. The greeting was given a spiritual emphasis by showing that these blessings come from God our ______________ and from ___________________.
God is to be ___________________ because:
A. He is the ________________ of Jesus Christ.
B. He has given us ___________ spiriutal _______________.
C. These are located in ________________ places.
D. These places are found only in _____________.
God has ______________ us who believe to be in __________. God made this decision ____________ the creation. The reason for this decision is that we should be __________ and without __________. We should show our ________ as we live before God.
Paul now introduces the subject of ______________________. The word come from two words. _______, means before, ahead or in front of. The second part of this word, _____________, means to decide, determine, make up one's mind.
NOTE: Some hold to a view that God makes all the decisions and choices for us. They believe that our ________________ is already decided and there is nothing that we can do to change this. This is known as _______________ predestination.
Paul speaks of _________ predestination. God has predestinated _____. What has God __________ before the creation? He decided:
A. The ___________ will be the family of God.
B. Each member will be ______________ by God.
C. The church will be composed of all ____________ children.
All that God does is ________________ to His will. God is _________. He will not make decisions that will __________ us. God is ________. His decisions will always be consistent with that love.
Instead of questioning God's decision, we need to offer ___________ to the ____________ of his grace. We are saved by ___________. (2:5) It is through his grace that we are ______________. This is only possible through the salvation work of the ______________ Jesus, the Son of God.
It is in Christ that we have _______________ through his __________. It is only possible for us to have ______________ of sins if we are in ___________. Such blessings come from the ____________ of his grace.
Christ has _______________ toward us all the riches of heaven. This includes ____________ and _______________.
NOTE: Both of these are attributes of God. They are also things that should characterize the child of God. Wisdom is the ability to __________ knowledge and made it practical and useful. Prudence is the special ability to _______________.
God does not keep his decision a _____________. He has ____________ it to us. It was a _______________. The word "mystery" is often used of some-thing that is beyond ___________ comprehension until it is _______________. It was God's good ________________ to reveal it to us.
HERE IT IS! HERE IS THE "MYSTERY" REVEALED.
In the last of the three __________________.
In a ___________ when God was fully prepared.
God will ____________ together in __________.
All the ____________ of God will be in ____________, both those in __________ and those on __________________.
In Christ we have the __________________ of all that belongs to God. This is part of what God decided would fit his _______________. He predestined that the _____________ would be the family of God. As members of the __________, we inherit all that God has placed in _____________.
Why did God decide to do this? Answer: God chose to bless the church so that we would offer our ______________ of his glory. God decided to __________ into his family (the _____________) all who first ____________ in Christ.
Through __________ in Christ we heard the __________. Truth is used interchangeably with ___________. To obey the _____________ is the same as obeying the ________. After we _________________ and obeyed the truth we were __________ with the Holy Spirit. This is not a command. This is a ____________. The ________ is proof of the item being _________.
The presence of the _____________ is an _________ of our inheritance. It is temporary until we are __________ and the purchased ____________ is ours.
Paul heard of the _______ of the Ephesians and their ______ for all ________. He offered ________ to God.
Paul remembered them _______. He did not _______ to give thanks and to mention them in his __________. This is called _______________ prayer. Intercession should be made in our prayers for several groups of people. Name several for whom we should pray.
__________________ __________________ __________________
__________________ __________________ __________________
__________________ __________________ __________________
What should be say in our _________ of intercession? Paul gives us some suggestions. PRAY FOR:
1. God to give us a spirit of _________.
2. A _____________ of knowledge.
3. Knowledge of _________.
4. Your eyes of _________________ to be enlightened.
5. That you may know the ______ of his calling. (See 4:4)
6. The _________ of his glory.
7. The ______________ of the saints.
8. Appreciation of the _______ of God in us.
> 9. God's _________ power to ______ in our lives.
It was by this mighty __________ that God raised Christ from the dead. Christ is now set at the _______ ______ of God.
God's power is far ________ all _______________, power, might, and ___________. All of these words refer to civil and temporal powers.
NOTE: The greatest power shortage is not electricy or oil and gas. It is in our ___________ lives. Will Paul's prayer be answered in your life? God has power over ____ ________. This means that all things are under his ______. He has made Christ the ______ of all things. This headship includes the ________ which is his ______. The church is the __________ of God who fills all in all.