Wednesday Night Study
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Would anyone like to provide highlights from Chapter 4 or even the rest of Ephesians that have stood out to you?
Are you inclined to work harder before you’ve received payment or after you’ve received payment? Why?
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;
and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;
and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
just as God in Christ also has forgiven you
1 Therefore be imitators of God
1 Therefore be imitators of God
Where in Scripture do we find similar commands?
How are these commands different or similar to other religions.
Notes:
as beloved children;
as beloved children;
How is this posture of obedience different from those other religions with similar morals and ethics?
Notes:
Behind every command is unspoken why? The way you answer why will determine whether you’re thinking in faith or thinking in fear.
Christians obey and imitate God out of identity and position not for identity and position.
Law Gospel (Justification) Law
He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
Thinking about this theologically there’s a tendency to emphasis the status or position of child. We are adopted and belong to God. That is a comforting reality...
, but Paul state’s that there is an affectionate disposition towards the child. “beloved” children.
What’s the difference between “sonship” and “beloved sonship”? How does it affect what we feel? Our faith? Our actions?
2 and walk in love
2 and walk in love
Notes:
If you read much of Paul’s writings you’ll recognize the use of repetition. It’s a helpful interpretive tool.
What does it mean to imitate God?
Well… it looks like loving one another.
How were we adopted???
Well… it was through Christ loving us and giving Himself up for us.
Before we get there...
One of the greatest ways we imitate God requires a couple implied requirements...
We are not alone
We cannot be alone and love.
God cannot be a God of love if he is not a trinitarian God. God is love because the Holy Spirit, the Son, and the Father have been loving one another for eternity son. God’s expression of “This is my beloved son” at Jesus’ baptism is a verbal expression of the eternal love the Father has had for the son before man was even created.
When we are in community, we are willing to give as well as receive. To benefit as well as sacrifice for one another.
One of the greatest ways we imitate God is by being a church, covenanted together, loving one another.
“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
In one sense, Christians are not as recognizable alone as they are together. Being salt and light in the earth requires a togetherness that is only found in the church.
All Members: By God's grace I will protect the unity of my church.
Reader #1: By acting in love toward other members.
If you were to ask a college student at Wright State, “What is love?” What would they say?
just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us
just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us
Notes:
“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
an offering
an offering
a sacrifice to God
a sacrifice to God
a fragrant aroma.
a fragrant aroma.
Notes:
Exodus 29:41–46 (NASB95)
“The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it the same grain offering and the same drink offering as in the morning, for a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.
“It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the doorway of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there.
“I will meet there with the sons of Israel, and it shall be consecrated by My glory.
“I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to minister as priests to Me.
“I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God.
“They shall know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the Lord their God.
Christ the perfect lamb a sacrifice made once and for all atoned for the sins of those who will repent and believe that we may forever dwell with God as adopted children (as sons).
In the same way that Christ gave up himself to dwell with us, we ought to give of ourselves in love for one another. This is how we walk in love.
Practically speaking, what does it mean for us to give of ourselves for the good of our fellow brother or sister?
3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you
3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you
Notes:
We’ve seen the positive aspects of imitating God in love. Paul continues to elaborate by warning against those things which are antithetical to holiness and the character of God.
Paul aims straight at excellency.
He does not settle for
Do not commit immorality or impurity.
Do not commit immorality or impurity in your heart.
Paul goes all the way to
Don’t even talk about it.
What’s the risk of talking about some prominent individuals sin? We’re not committing it.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
as is proper among saints;
as is proper among saints;
Notes:
There is a wholeness to our Christian walk that is recognizable even in our every day ordinary conversations with one another. Our actions are holy. Our minds our holy, and our conversations are holy.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting
and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting
Notes:
which are not fitting
which are not fitting
Notes:
but rather giving of thanks.
but rather giving of thanks.
Notes:
It makes sense that one primary markers of those who have been given so much by the Grace of God in Christ is gratitude.
I find the contrast interesting. Paul has just mentioned immorality, impurity, filthiness, silly talk, and coarse jesting. If we were to ask, “what is the opposite of these attributes that would set us apart from those kinds of people...
holiness, purity, upright speech, right, honorable, encouraging talk. These are all good things and reflect what Paul encouraged the Philippians toward, but the attribute he chooses is gratitude. “Give thanks”
What is it about gratitude that sets us apart from the sinful behaviors of the world?
It requires faith to see what has already been given. It’s a Christ-centered gospel focused way of living.
It requires faith to see what has already been given. It’s a Christ-centered gospel focused way of living.
Because of what we’ve been given in Christ, we imitate Him, we love another, we refrain from that which is unholy, and walk in gratitude.
Because of what we’ve been given in Christ, we imitate Him, we love another, we refrain from that which is unholy, and walk in gratitude.
