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 3:14-21 – 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 3:14-21.
- STUDY NOTE: The way Ephesians 3:1-13 (which we looked at last week) is written in the original Greek, it appears that Paul interrupts himself from 3:2-13 to interject the “backstory” to his imprisonment due to his ministry among the Gentiles. Therefore, Ephesians 3:14 continues the main narrative that Paul began in 3:1. If you put those two verses together, the idea runs like this: “For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles . . . bow my knees before the Father . . .”
- Given the connection between 3:1 and 3:14 (as seen in the study note above), what is the reason that Paul is prompted to pray for the Ephesians? (HINT: Check the context of chapter 2)
- The Bible is full of different postures for prayer. Sometimes people are seen standing in prayer, other times they lay prostrate on the ground, and at times people bow on their knees. Paul here is said to bow his knee. What do you think this posture indicates about his attitude as he prays?
- Paul here addresses God as his Father. We should never allow this title of God to stop amazing us. The fact that people as impotent as us could call such an omnipotent God, Father is a true act of mercy and grace. What does the title “Father” imply about our relationship with God?
- Ephesians 3:15 has often been misunderstood as a declaration that God is the Father of all people. Even in the context of the book of Ephesians, it is seen in 2:2 that non-Christians have Satan as their Father/leader. The notion of Ephesians 3:15 is not that God is the Father of all, but that He is the “prototype” Father. In other words, instead of God being like our earthly fathers, God is the one who created the idea of fatherhood, and is the perfect original of what a loving Father is supposed to be. The world would have no idea what a Father was supposed to be apart from God’s creation of the concept for the family. That said, in what way do you see God as the “perfect Father”? How does He fill this role in a perfect way for His children?
- In 3:16, Paul mentions that God has blessed us “according to the riches of His glory.” Expounding on this idea, John MacArthur says this, “The illustration was used of a wealthy person who gives according to, rather than simply out of, his riches. For a millionaire to give fifty or a hundred dollars would be simply to give out of his wealth, but to give twenty-five thousand dollars would be to give according to his wealth. The greater a person’s wealth, the greater his gift must be to qualify for giving according to his wealth. For God to give according to the riches of His glory is absolutely staggering, because His riches are limitless, completely without bounds! Yet that is exactly the measure by which Paul implores God to empower the Ephesians.” Reflect on this for a moment. What does it mean for God to bless us ACCORDING TO, His riches?
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
- Eph. 2:1-10 (Study Prompts #1)
- Eph. 2:1-10 (Study Prompts #2)
- Eph. 2:1-10 (Study Prompts #3)
- Unbelievable Offer (Devotional/Sermon Preview)
- Packed #3 Sermon Discussion Questions
- Packed #3 Sermon Audio/Video
- Eph. 2:11-22 (Study Prompts #1)
- Eph. 2:11-22 (Study Prompts #2)
- Eph. 2:11-22 (Study Prompts #3)
- Uncommon Denominator (Devotional/Sermon Preview)
- Packed #4 Sermon Discussion Questions
- Packed #4 Sermon Audio/Video
- Eph. 3:1-13 (Study Prompts #1)
- Eph. 3:1-13 (Study Prompts #2)
- Eph. 3:1-13 (Study Prompts #3)
- Tether (Devotional/Sermon Preview)
- Packed #5 Sermon Discussion Questions
- Packed #5 Sermon Audio/Video
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