I am currently preaching a sermon series on Sunday mornings at Wildwood Community Church called “Packed” – based out of Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians. During this series, I am using my blog to post study prompts, devotionals, sermon audio/video, and discussion questions to help facilitate personal or group study of this book. NOTE: At the bottom of this post, I have a set of links to previous resources in this series.
Ephesians 2:1-10 – Study Prompts #1
- As you pray for your study today, ask God to use His Word in your life as the writer of Hebrews prayed in Hebrews 13:20-21: “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
- Read Ephesians 2:1-10
- STUDY NOTE: Ephesians 2:1-7 is one long sentence in the original composition of this letter (in Greek, the language Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesians). In this long sentence, there is one subject (God), who does three primary actions: “made alive” (2:5), “raised up” (2:6), and “seated” (2:6). The object of these actions by God is “us” . . . meaning those who are “in Christ.” Take all these thought together, and this is the primary message of Ephesians 2:1-7, “God made us alive, raised us up, and seated us in the heavenly places.” Every other idea in these verses helps support this main idea.
- Before we can be “made alive,” we must be “dead.” In order for us to be “raised up,” we must be first laid low. Before we can be “seated,” we must be defeated. In Ephesians 2:1-3, Paul prepares us theologically to understand the extent of our salvation by talking about the spiritual state of “you.” Who do you think Paul was referring to when he said “you” in 2:1? Was this a particular person? Just those who lived in Ephesus? All people? Other?
- How are you described in 2:1-3? Make a list of all the things Paul mentions here. After making this list, take a moment and write out beside the items on your list what each phrase means (to the best of your understanding.)
- In 2:1, you are said to be “dead in your trespasses.” This is similar language to Romans 6:23a. Do you think this passage is referring to spiritual death, physical death, or both? What are the implications of being spiritually dead and trying to relate to the Living God?
- This world has a “course” that sets a pattern for you to follow. The picture here reminds me of a water slide. The fiberglass flume directs the water down a particular path into the pool below. The idea is that this world in which we live wants to direct us down to its pool . . . a destination that ultimately leads to our destruction and wounds us along the way. In what way do you see the “course” of this world direct you toward behavior that is ultimately destructive?
- Additionally, “the prince of the power of the air” who leads the “sons of disobedience” refers to Satan himself. Satan was the first to disobey God and rebel against Him. Therefore, all who follow his lead, make him their “leader.” This is not to say that all are worshipping Satan, but that if we are persisting in disobedience (and if God does not intervene) we will ultimately end up following Satan to his same destructive end. How does this thought help you understand the evil of sin and its destructive possibilities?
- Finally in this section, Paul talks about the power of the “flesh” pushing us to fulfill all our evil desires. The “flesh” is a term used in the Scripture to talk about the part of us that is inclined to sin. What are some of the temptations in life that your flesh is particularly pushing you to do?
For more resources related to this study of Ephesians click on the following links:
- Packed – Series Introduction
- Eph. 1:3-14 (Study Prompts #1)
- Eph. 1:3-14 (Study Prompts #2)
- Eph. 1:3-14 (Study Prompts #3)
- The “In Crowd” (Devotional/Sermon Preview)
- Packed Sermon Discussion Questions
- Packed #1 Sermon Audio/Video
- Eph. 1:15-23 (Study Prompts #1)
- Eph. 1:15-23 (Study Prompts #2)
- Eph. 1:15-23 (Study Prompts #3)
- It’s a Wonderful Christian Life (Devotional)
- Packed #2 Sermon Discussion Questions
- Packed #2 Sermon Audio/Video
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