Ephesians 3:1-21

Lesson 1

Doctrine: Our Riches in Christ—Chapters 1–3

Our Spiritual Possessions in Christ—1:4–14

First Prayer—for Enlightenment—1:15–23

Our Spiritual Position in Christ—2:1–22

Second Prayer—for Enablement—3:1–21

Duty: Our Responsibilities in Christ—Chapters 4–6

Walk in Unity—4:1–16

Walk in Purity—4:17–5:17

Walk in Harmony—5:18–6:9

Walk in Victory—6:10–24

Map

Purpose

Though no particular problem is raised in the book, the reason for writing this epistle becomes clear when we consider the contacts the apostle had with the Ephesians. On the return from his third missionary journey Paul told the Ephesian elders at Miletus (A.D. 57) to beware of evil teachers from without and of professing believers within who would teach perverse things (Acts 20:29–30). From Revelations one can see that the Ephesian church had succeeded in keeping out the false teachers (Rev. 2:2) but had failed to maintain the vibrancy of their first love for Christ (Rev. 2:4). This is substantiated in 1 Timothy 1:5, when Paul wrote from Macedonia to Timothy at Ephesus (ca A.D. 62) that the goal of his instruction was “love which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” Thus the theme of love needed to be stressed for the saints at Ephesus.

• Ephesus was a major commercial port city and an important node on the north-south and east-west road system, and thus a strategic hub for the immediate and ongoing work of a missionary/church planter like Paul and his team.

• The worship of Artemis and the city’s identity and pride were intertwined from the founding of Ephesus, making devotion to Artemis a natural rallying point against an invasive monotheistic cult.

•Ephesus enthusiastically and devoutly supported the Roman imperial cult, with a marked upsurge toward the end of the first century as it was awarded its first provincial imperial temple. This is the climate and situation to which John’s Revelation would appear to respond most directly for Ephesian Christians.

• The commercial structures and activity of Ephesus, particularly as a collection point for shipments heading west to Greece and, most especially, Rome, is another important point of connection with Revelation’s critique of the Roman imperial economy and the practices that sustain it.

Lesson 2

Then in lesson two we learned about ‘in Christ’. Let’s take a quick look at what the ‘In Christs’ are in chapter 1 verse 1-13.

v1 - Faithful in Christ Jesus

v3 - Blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ

v4 - He Chose us in Him

v6 - Accepted in the Beloved

v7 - Redemption in Him

v9 - Know his will in Himself

v10 - Gather all things in Christ/ in Him

v11 - Gained an inheritance in Him

v12 - Praise of His glory in Christ

V13 - Salvation in Him

v13 - Sealed in Whom

The Bottom line of ‘In Christ’...Vs 3-14...explains that in Christ we are blessed, chose, accepted, redeemed, enlightened, gathered, gained, praised, saved, and sealed.

Lesson 3

In Lesson 3, Chapter 1, verse 15-23 we talked about:

Wisdom,

Revelation,

Knowledge

Understanding

Enlightened

Calling

Inheritance

Lesson 4

Lesson 4, chapter 2, verse 1-10 Pastor Dave talked about us being lost, lustful, sinful, wrathful, trespassers, disobedient.....But God.....then being saved by grace.

But God

Lesson 5

The overarching thought in these verses are we are all one in Christ; Jews and Gentiles alike and we are united in a new temple which is the body of Christ.

Ephesians 3:1–21 NKJV

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. 8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. 14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

We can break this down into three sections:

- The Mystery Revealed

- Purpose of the Mystery

- Appreciation for the Mystery