Ephesians 3:14-21

A Prayer for the Ephesians

This week I would encourage you to read and even re-read the passage during your group. There are some beautiful avenues of prayer contained in these verses. Many of our groups struggle to make prayer a meaningful and progressing aspect of our time together. Let this passage catalyze prayer in your group this week.

Here are some ideas:

• Divide the verses (or even phrases) of this passage between the members of your group and ask everyone to pray those words back to God - expanding and personalizing the prayer.
• If the above would be too intimidating at first, spend some time discussing each verse/phrase before praying. Help one another to let this passage shape our prayers.
• The word, "power" is used three times in these verses. Ask the group how Paul uses this word, what he means, and how we are to tap into God's power.
• What does Paul say about "love" in these verses?
• According to Ephesians chapters 1-3, how specifically would the church bring glory to Christ (not individuals, but the collective of Christ-followers called the Church)?
• Spend some time asking God to do in Cornerstone Church that which would go far beyond anything we could ask for or even imagine.

Ephesians 3:1-13

Paul the Preacher to the Gentiles

Paul started this section by acknowledging himself as "the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles." What does this title mean? How was he a prisoner of Christ? What does his attitude teach us about service to God?

In vs 2, Paul mentioned that it was likely that the church of Ephesus had heard about the "administration of God's Grace" in the life of Paul.

-What are some of the things that they would have heard?

-If you were in the original audience and heard these things about Paul, how would it influence your relationship with God?

Review vs 3-9

Paul referred to a mystery that was revealed to him that involved the Gentiles. He also noted it was a gift of God's grace...

-Why did Paul care about the Gentiles? Why did it matter to him if they were members of the body of Christ or not?

-Paul had developed a reputation of teaching that Gentiles had the same equal access to God that the Jews did. Why would this create division in the Jewish community?

-If it would have been easier for Paul to side with the Jewish sentiment at the time, why didn't he?

-If Paul felt that he was "less than the least of all God's people," why didn't he use this as an excuse to NOT preach God's message?

-Despite the persecution that he received, he felt that his mission was a gift of God's grace. Do we view evangelism as "gifts of grace" or do we view them as burdens from which we shrink away?

Lets break down vs 10...

Paul stated in vs 10 that through the church, "the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms."

-According to a dictionary search, it appears that "manifold" means: of many kinds- being numerous and varied; having different parts, elements and features. Paul noted that God's wisdom has a manifold nature. In what ways?

-He noted that it was "through the church" that the manifold wisdom of God would be known. How? Through preaching? Through its very existence? Why is the Church in this privileged position?

-Who are the "rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms" that Paul was referring to? Was he referring to a spiritual dimension? If so, discuss the role that the church would play in this...

He closed this section with the hope that the audience would not be discouraged because of his sufferings.

-In what ways would they be discouraged? For instance, would people feel that God is less capable of victory than they had previously assumed?

-Would they have felt that God should have protected Paul, as he was an apostle on God's behalf?

-In Paul's plea, we see that there are some things that are more important than worldly comfort. Would you have seen this persecution in the same way?

Teacher: Jeff Dodge

Ephesians 3:1-13