The New You is Unique

Ephesians 3:1-13

Key Questions for “First Discussion” on Ephesians...

1) What are all of the main ideas/concepts/points in this passage? WHAT IS PAUL SAYING? Paraphrase each verse or section in your own words.

one of the problems, the New You, this passage is all about the new people, the new You’all might be the answer

this passage talks about another layer of salvation, it is not just for me but for us the church, a moving out of what salvation and sanctification is

as 21st gentiles we don’t feel the weight of what Paul is saying here, the good news is for gentiles, not just for Jews, this good news is for the outsider or those we might think as outsiders, every sinner can be a part of the family of God

Paul stating that he is the least of all God’s people is backward to how most Jews would think

v 10 God’s plan all along is that there should be Jews and gentiles together, all sinners coming together to make up the family of God,

we tend to be individualistic in our context, the mystery of God is the Church, there is a bigger picture of the church

implication of this passage is to make us think differently about the church and the existence of the church, in the spiritual realm and in the world

we are each a part of this thing called church, we make up the church and impact the world/community around us

what if we saw ourselves as active participants in the church local and universal

“the local church is the hope of the world”

angels long to look into these things, even angels didn’t see it coming, Satan didn’t see it coming

the wisdom God is so surprising that the heavenly realm is completely flummoxed,

2) What are the important background details that contribute to understanding the passage? (Historical, situational, context in Ephesian, etc)

Paul’s imprisonment, for the sake of the Gentiles (former pharisee)

why he goes in one direction, 2 thru 13 is a different direction, and then picks up again in 14

end of verse 3-4, the beginning of the letter, or another letter

verse 6: gentile are heirs together, members together, and sharers together

v 8: less than least of all the saints, isn’t this true of all believers

the collective good can impact alot of people, the collective sin of a church can also impact a lot of people as well

3) What are the key questions it answers or issues it is addressing – FOR THE EPHESIANS?

saying to the gentiles and the jews that it is time to get along, stop stabbing each other in the back, kind of scolding the church, get it together people

the church is the minority in the world . . .

4) How are those questions/issues similar to what we face today? (Uncovered Tension)

we tend to misunderstand what the churches purpose in the wold is

5) What is the ONE main point we should be highlighting?

communion is a great application of this passage, coming together as a church

remember what Jesus did for us the church, he was the one who birthed the church, celebrate that