Posted on September 29, 2024
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Sweet Sisters;
I want to remind you that when the New Testament was originally written, it was not divided into chapters and verses. The translators worked together diligently to make the Scriptures easier to understand by dividing passages up based on what they felt the author was trying to say in the original language. I’m sure God was very involved in this process.
In today’s lesson I think that Ephesians 5:18 actually leads into everything that Paul is going to talk about through chapter six verse nine.
Let’s read it again together:
New International Version
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
Easy English Bible
18 Do not drink too much wine so that you become drunk. That will destroy your life. Instead, let God's Spirit fill you.
I want to key in on the words “be filled with the Spirit”. I believe Paul is going to spend the next few passages discussing what our lives will look like when we are led by the Spirit. Our first stop will be Ephesians 5:21:
NIV
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
EASY
21 Serve one another to show that you respect Christ as your master.
Let’s spend some time looking at the word “submit”. The Greek word for the concept of submitting is HUPOTASSO. It is a military term that means to “arrange under”. Soldiers were to follow the instructions of the ones who had authority or leadership roles above them.
It also means “ordered relationships”, especially where one party submits to another.
In Ephesians 5:21-22, Paul seems to be using it in the “passive voice” (Greek Grammar) which means to voluntarily defer to one another. It is not a mandated command. This word does not imply inferiority or giving up value. Jesus submitted to His parents in Luke 2:51-52
NIV
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
EASY
51 Then Jesus returned to Nazareth with them. He did what they wanted. His mother, Mary, was careful to remember all the special things that had happened. She thought about them a lot. 52 Jesus grew up into a man. He became strong and he could understand more and more things. God was pleased with him, and people were pleased with him too.
Submit also does not imply absolute obedience. Peter and John obeyed God first as seen in Acts 4:19:
NIV
19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!
EASY
19 Then Peter and John replied to the leaders, ‘What do you think God wants us to do? Should we obey you? Or should we obey God? You decide!
I want to point out what Paul says next in Ephesians 5:21, “…out of reverence for Christ.” Reverence is defined as respect. Out of respect to God we voluntarily consider the needs of others as more important than our own.
Philippians 2:3, 4:
NIV
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
EASY
3 In the way that you live, do not just try to help yourself. Do not be proud. Instead, respect other people. Think about other people as more important than yourself. 4 Do not think only about the things that you want to do for yourself. Each of you should think also about how you can help other people.
Remember we are filled with the Holy Spirit. He defines who we are. We are God’s chosen children. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to put the interests of others ahead of our own.
Now that Paul has made it clear that submitting to one another involves the whole family of God, he applies it to marriage. He begins in Ephesians 5:22-24 with wives:
NIV
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
EASY
22 Wives, obey your own husbands, as you obey the Lord. 23 A husband has authority over his wife, in the same way that Christ has authority over the church. The church is like Christ's body. As its head, he saves her. 24 As the church serves Christ as its master, so wives should serve their husbands in everything.
I love that Paul begins by saying, “submit to your husbands as you submit to the Lord.” It is not about who has the power in a marriage. Paul will go on to say that just as Jesus is the head of the church, the marriage relationship also needs a head. Remember our military definition? What would happen in the military if there was not a leader who passed down decisions to those under his command? There would be chaos.
Let’s go back for a moment to how Paul begins his instructions to the wife. She submits to her husband because she is first submitting to God. She is trusting God that He is going to guide and work through her husband.
There was a line that I thought was really good in the movie War Room. The husband and wife have had a lot of drama and challenges in their relationship. The wife, because of her new relationship with God, is responding to her husband in a way he doesn’t understand. She says, “It’s because before I am yours, I am His.”
Because I am HIs (that is God’s), I am not threatened by Paul’s instructions to let my husband be the head of our home.
Paul then turns his attention to the husband in Ephesians 5:23-30.
NIV
23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body.
EASY
23 A husband has authority over his wife, in the same way that Christ has authority over the church. The church is like Christ's body. As its head, he saves her. 24 As the church serves Christ as its master, so wives should serve their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church. He even agreed to die on its behalf. 26 He did that to make us completely clean, as the people of God. It was like he washed us with water, as he brought God's message to us. 27 Christ himself did this to bring us to himself as a beautiful group of his people. His church would belong to him completely. It would be pure, without anything bad to spoil it.
28 So husbands should love their wives, just as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife shows that he loves himself. 29 There is nobody who hates his own body. Everyone feeds his body and he takes care of it. In the same way, the church is like Christ's body that he takes care of. 30 We are like the parts of Christ's body.
I found the comment that one commentator I read concerning this passage very interesting. He said,
Paul used 40 words in his comments to the wife.
He uses 116 in his comments to the husband.
I think this was because in the culture of that day, women were used to their husband making all the rules and having position of power. On the other hand, what Paul is telling the husbands, “ROCKED THEIR WORLD”! It was a huge shock to their paradigm. It called for a radical change in everything they knew about the role a man played in a marriage.
Paul finishes this section about marriage in Ephesians 4:31-33”
NIV
31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
EASY
31 The Bible says this: ‘When a man marries, he leaves his father and his mother. Instead, God joins the man and his wife together. The two people become like one body.’ 32 This is God's secret and it is difficult to understand. But I am saying that it teaches us about Christ and the church. 33 But each one of you husbands should understand this: love your own wife as you love yourself. And every wife among you must respect her husband.
Paul says, “I know it’s a mystery, but I’m comparing marriage and how it works to the church and how the church works.”
I want to talk about verse 33. Once upon a time, Paul and I used to conduct marriage seminars based on the Bible. We used a book to help us by Willard Harley, His Needs / Her Needs. The book discussed the top twelve needs of men and of women. Would you like to guess what a critical need for each of them was?
For the woman, one of her critical needs is to feel loved and cherished. For the man, one of his critical needs is to feel his wife respects him. I think that this is a strong indication that when God created man and woman, He wired them this way. He then designed marriage to fulfill these needs. As with so many other things God designed, man decided he had better ideas of how the design would work. Instead of man creating strong, happy marriages, he has created broken marriages. God’s way is always the best way.
Now that Paul has taught the Ephesians christians the fundamentals of a strong marriage, he discusses the relationship between parents and children in Ephesians 6:1-3.
NIV
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
EASY
You who are children, obey your parents. Because you belong to the Lord, that is the right thing to do. 2 God's Law says: ‘Always respect your father and your mother.’ That is the first rule of God's Law that also has a promise. 3 The promise is this: ‘As a result, you will be happy and you will live for a long time on the earth.’
This passage is meant for children who are still living at home, who are under the authority of their parents. The Greek word Paul uses in this passage is HUPAKOUETE. It is a compound word which literally means, “to come under hearing or under one’s voice”. It paints a picture of a person submitting to a voice of authority.
Children are to trust and obey their parents in the Lord. This is also how we respond to God. Children are also told to honor their parents. Honor is defined as:
To show respect or hold in high esteem.
Fathers are then told not to “exasperate” their children in Ephesians 6:4
NIV
4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
EASY
4 Fathers, do not do things that make your children angry. Instead, teach them carefully as they grow up. Help them to understand the message of the Lord, and help them to obey it.
Exasperate means to:
Provoke to anger,
to frustrate intently,
to push their buttons.
Notice Paul addresses the fathers and not the mothers. For the men of this time (and sometimes even now), their word was law and children were to be strictly obedient. Paul tells them that in God’s family it doesn’t work that way.To “train” a child is to act as a coach. You teach and supervise. You lead by example. If the father treats his children in this manner, they will not have a problem obeying or respecting him.
The last relationship Paul addresses is found in Ephesians 6:5-9.
NIV
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
EASY
5 You who are slaves, obey your human masters. Respect them and be afraid of them. Work well to help them, as if you were working for Christ as your master. 6 Do not do good work only when they can see you. Some people only work to make other people like them. Instead, work well all the time, as slaves who serve Christ. Work in the way that God wants you to work. 7 Be happy to obey your human masters. Remember that you are serving the Lord himself, not just other people. 8 You know that anyone who does some good thing will receive a good gift from the Lord. This will happen whether that person is a slave or a free person.
9 You who are masters, be good to your slaves in the same way. Do not frighten them with punishment. Remember that both you and your slaves have the same Master in heaven. And he is always fair when he judges people, whoever they are.
According to Google, during the Roman Era Ephesus had a population of 250,000. One quarter of the people (+60,000) were slaves. Wealthy households may have had as many as 200 slaves. A show of power and abuse was the preferred method of keeping that many in line.
There were many scenarios that could force someone into slavery. Being captured by the Roman military was one. Being too poor to pay off your debts was another.
Just as in all the other relationships Paul has discussed, Paul tells slaves to respond to their masters the same way they would respond to God. He also tells them not to do this to win their favor but to do it because it pleases God.
Paul, once again, introduces a new way of life to the Ephesian masters. Masters are not to threaten their slaves with punishment, but to treat them fairly just as God treats both masters and slaves.
In our western culture today we don’t have the master / slave relationship, but we do have the employer / employee relationship. This passage definitely addresses this relationship.
Sweet Sisters, as we reach this point in our tour we are reminded of how our tour began. Paul tells us that because we are God’s chosen family, we are filled with His Spirit. Since we are filled with His Spirit, we strive to follow God’s example and love others the way He loves us.
In the lessons to come we are going to learn about the weapons we will need to go to battle for our God.
Debbie
Posted on September 15, 2024
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Sweet Sisters,
Last week I mentioned that Paul, the author of Ephesians, plus many other New Testament books, is a “bottom line” kind of guy. He tends to say it “as it is” and then leaves his audience to “deal with it”.
The first sixteen verses of Ephesians 5 are rather uncomfortable reading. Paul doesn’t “beat around the bush”. He gets very explicit about behaviors that are not acceptable in the lives of those who are part of God’s church.
As God’s chosen people our lives are to look different than the lives of those who are not chosen, Jesus taught that His followers would be known by two things:
1. The way they loved others
John 13:34, 35
New International Version (NIV)
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
EasyEnglish Bible (EASY)
34 I give a new rule to you. Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you. 35 In this way, everyone will know that you are my disciples. They will know it, if you really love each other.’
2. The unity they exhibit.
John 17:21
NIV
that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
EASY
I pray that all of them will become united. You, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they also will be united in us. Then the world's people will believe that you sent me.
God’’s people are to be examples to the world of what it looks like to be His followers.
Now that we understand where Paul is coming from, let’s begin our tour of Ephesians 5. The last verse of Ephesians four ends with Paul saying, “forgive each other just as God in Christ forgave you.”
Ephesians 5:1 begins with “Therefore, follow God’s example.”
NIV
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children
EASY
You are God's children and he loves you very much. So you must try to be like him.
Verse two continues with “walk in the way of love”.
NIV
2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
EASY
2 Show that you love other people. Remember how much Christ loved us. He gave himself as a sacrifice on our behalf. He offered himself in a way that pleased God, like a sacrifice with a lovely smell.
As God’s children we are to look like God.
Now we come to the passages that tend to make us squirm.
Ephesians 5:3
NIV
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.
EASY
3 So, as God's people, you must never have sex with anyone that you are not married to. Do not do any kind of disgusting thing like that. Do not want many things for yourselves, just to make you happy. That is not how God's people should live.
In God’s eyes, sex is special. It is holy. It was never intended to just be a recreational activity.
Hebrews 13:4
NIV
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
EASY
When a man and a woman have married each other, they must each respect the marriage. Husbands and wives must only have sex with each other. God will punish anyone who has sex with another person's husband or wife. He will punish anyone who has sex in a wrong way.
I Corinthians 6:16-20
NIV
16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
EASY
16 Anyone who makes his own body join to a prostitute becomes one body with that prostitute. You should know that. It says in the Bible:
‘The man and the woman become as one body.’
17 But everyone who is united to the Lord has the same spirit as him. 18 So never have sex in a wrong way! You may say, ‘If a person does a bad thing, it is not his body that does it.’ But if you have sex in a wrong way, you are doing a bad thing to your own body. 19 Remember this: Your body is the home of God's Holy Spirit. God gave his Holy Spirit to you and he lives in you. You do not belong to yourselves any longer. 20 God bought you for himself. He paid the price for you. So use your body to show how great God is.
Proverbs 5:18-19
NIV
18
May your fountain be blessed,
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19
A loving doe, a graceful deer—
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
EASY
18 Enjoy sex with your own wife. May the wife that you married when you were young continue to give you joy. 19 May she be as pretty and beautiful as a young deer. May her breasts always make you happy. May she love you in a way that gives you joy.
I find it very interesting that God links sexual immorality and greed together in this passage. Have you ever noticed that in the eyes of the world sex has become all about what makes someone feel good or brings them pleasure? It’s lost the beauty of being and intimate expression of love between a man and a woman who have made a lifetime commitment to one another.
In verse four, Paul once again talks about how God’s people are known by how they talk. The words that we speak should bring honor to God.
Ephesians 5:4
NIV
4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
EASY
4 Do not speak in a way which uses dirty words. Do not talk about silly things, like fools do. It is not right for God's people to talk like that. Instead, you should speak in a way which shows that you are thanking God.
Paul makes it very clear in verses 5 - 7 that God will not tolerate unholy kind of behavior.
NIV
5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
EASY
5 You can be sure about this: If anyone has sex in a wrong way, that person does not belong to God's people. Nobody who does any kind of disgusting thing belongs to God's people. People who want many things just to please themselves are like people who worship an idol. They also do not belong to God's people. Nobody like that belongs to the kingdom where Christ and God rule. They will not receive the good things that God has prepared for his people.
6 Do not let anyone have a chance to deceive you with a false message about those kinds of bad things. God will certainly punish people who do not obey him. 7 So keep away from those kinds of people.
As we move into the next verses, Paul, having made it very clear what living in darkness looks like, now discusses living in the light.
Ephesians 5:8-10
NIV
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.
EASY
8 Once your minds were completely in the dark. But now you belong to the Lord. As a result, you have become full of light. So now you must live as people who belong to the light. 9 The light helps you to live in a way that is good, right and true. 10 You should learn more and more to do the things that please the Lord.
God’s people focus on doing what is good, right and true and pleases God.
Ephesians 5:11-12
NIV
11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
EASY
11 People whose minds are in the dark do things that have no good purpose. Keep away from wrong things like that. Instead, show how bad those things really are. 12 People like that should be ashamed of the things that they do secretly. Those things are too bad for us even to talk about.
God’s people have nothing to do with the “dark side”.
Ephesians 5:13-14
NIV
13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
EASY
13 But when God's light shines on something, people can see clearly its true nature. 14 Everything that becomes clear to see is in the light. That is why it says:
‘Wake up, you people who are asleep!
Rise up from among the dead people!
Then Christ will shine his light on you.’
God’s people are to expose what the “dark side” is trying to hide. That is how the “dark side” is defeated.
Paul comments in verse 14 that some of God’s people are “sleeping”. They are not paying attention to what is going on around them. They need to “wake up” so that Christ can use them.
In verses 15-20 Paul once again tells the Ephesian Christians how they should live.
NIV
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
EASY
15 So you must be very careful how you live. Live like people who are wise. Do not live like fools. 16 Many bad things are happening in these days. So, whenever you have a chance to do something good, do as much as you can. 17 Do not live like fools. But instead, understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Do not drink too much wine so that you become drunk. That will destroy your life. Instead, let God's Spirit fill you. 19 He will help you to speak to each other with all kinds of spiritual songs. Sing psalms from the Bible, and Christian songs. Praise the Lord with songs from inside yourselves. 20 And always thank God, the Father, for everything, by our Lord Jesus Christ's name.
He tells them to:
1. Make the most of every opportunity to serve God.
2. Be filled with the Spirit.
3. Encourage one another through singing.
I get the impression that singing was an important part of the lives of people during this time. Music has played a part in every culture since the beginning of time.
I think that Paul is telling them that even the songs they sing can be used to glorify God and be a source of encouragement to the church. Paul stresses that as they do this, it must be authentic and real. It must come from the heart.
4. Give thanks to God for everything in the name of Jesus.
Remember when we were in school and were learning to write essays? We were taught to start off with a topic sentence. It was the the main point of the essay. Everything that followed hinged on that sentence.
Sweet Sisters, I think Ephesians 5:1-2, which is actually one sentence, is Paul’s topic sentence for this section of his letter to the Ephesians. His main point is:
Follow Jesus’ example and walk in love.
On our next stop we will see how this concept applies to relationships.
Debbie
Posted on September 8, 2024
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Sweet Sisters,
When our lesson came to an end last time, Paul was encouraging the church in Ephesus to help each other to grow in unity and in knowledge of the Son of God. He wants them to focus on becoming mature followers of Jesus. The better we know Jesus, the more we will grow as His disciples.
In Ephesians 4:14, Paul continues this thought. Paul tells them the consequences that will occur as they mature in their Christian walk.
New International Version (NIV)
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
EasyEnglish Bible (EASY)
14 So then we will not be like children any more. Our minds will not become confused by strange ideas. We will not change what we believe, from one thing to another. Some people teach things that are not true. They do clever things to deceive people. But we will not agree with their false message.
I am reminded of a line from an old hymn, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand”. Here are two Bible passages that promise the ability to stand firm if we put our trust in Jesus.
Jeremiah 17:7 - 8
NIV
7
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
8
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
EASY
7 The Lord blesses people who trust in him.
They know that the Lord will help them.
8 They will be like trees that grow beside a river.
Their roots reach into the water.
When the sun is hot, they are not afraid.
Their leaves continue to be green.
They give fruit each year,
even when there is no rain.
Hebrews 6:19
NIV
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
EASY
We can be completely sure about those good things that we hope to receive. That keeps our thoughts strong, because we know that our life is safe with God. It is like an anchor that keeps a ship safe. When we hope like that, we know that we will one day arrive in God's special place in heaven. That is like the special place behind the curtain in the tabernacle.
I’ve always pictured Paul, the writer of Ephesians, as a “bottom line” kind of guy. In Ephesians 4:15 - 16, Paul makes it really simple. If you want to grow as the body of Jesus, focus on the truth of His message.
NIV
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
EASY
15 Instead, we will love each other and we will speak God's true message. As a result, we will become more and more like Christ in every way. He is the head of his body, which is the church. 16 As its head, he helps the whole body to grow well. Each part joins with the other parts so that the whole body becomes strong. As each separate part does its proper work, we love each other more and more.
Paul is going to shift gears and contrast how these new Christians are supposed to now live in comparison to how those around them live. Ephesians 4:17 - 19 describe how they are not to live.
NIV
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
EASY
17 So I say this to you. I am sure that I have the Lord's authority to say it. You must not live any longer like the Gentile people who do not know God. They do whatever their silly ideas teach them to do. 18 They cannot understand God's true message because their minds are in the dark. They have not accepted the life that God gives. They have decided that they do not want to know about God. They do not even try to understand. 19 They do not feel ashamed when they do all kinds of disgusting things. They do more and more bad things just to please themselves.
These verses pretty much speak for them selves.
Ephesians 4:20 - 24 describe how they are to live now.
NIV
20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
EASY
20 But when you learned about Christ, you did not learn to do things like that! 21 I am sure that you have heard about him properly. People taught you the true message that comes from Jesus. 22 They taught you to change the way that you live. You must put away the nature that you had before. That old nature deceived you. As a result, you wanted to do things that would destroy you. 23 Instead, let God's Spirit make you think in a new way. 24 Take up the new nature that God has prepared for you. That nature is like God's own nature. Then you will live in a truly good way that pleases God.
Paul told the Christians in Rome the same thing in Romans 12:1-2.
NIV
Easy
Accepting God’s way of life requires a transformation of our minds.
In Ephesians 4:25 - 31, Paul gets really specific about what this new life is going to look like. I want to look at these verses one at a time.
Ephesians 4:25
NIV
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
EASY
So you must stop telling lies. Each of you must say only true things to one another. Remember that all of us belong to one another, like parts of the same body.
Those in God’s family will be honest with each other. They can trust each other to be truthful.
Ephesians 4:26 - 27
NIV
26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
EASY
26 When you are angry, do not do anything bad as a result. Once the day comes to an end, do not continue to be angry. 27 Do not give the Devil a chance to hurt you like that.
Notice Paul does not say, “don’t be angry”. What he says is don’t let satan use your anger to control you. Paul also warns against dwelling on our anger. Give it to God and let it go.
Psalm 4:4
NIV
Tremble and do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
EASY
Shake with fear and stop doing wrong things!
Lie on your bed and think quietly about your life.
In the Septuagint it says, “in your anger do not sin”.
Ephesians 4:28
NIV
Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
EASY
Any of you who robbed people before must now stop taking things. Instead, you should work hard with your own hands. Then you will be able to share what you have with people who are poor.
I wonder if we could also use the phrase here, “stop taking advantage of others”? It is obvious that if we are stealing from others we should stop. Do we sometimes manipulate a situation so that it benefits us in someway? Isn’t that the same thing as stealing from someone?
Paul not only instructs the Ephesians to earn a living in an honest way, but to be willing to share what they earn.
In Ephesians 4:29:
NIV
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
EASY
Do not say bad things that hurt or insult people. Instead, say only good things that will help people. Your words should help people to become strong when they hear them.
I did a word study on the word, “unwholesome”.
• behavior that is considered unpleasant, or unnatural, and is often criticized as being morally or mentally bad.
• Unhealthy, corrupt, loathsome, poisonous evil
In the language of Paul’s day, unwholesome meant to cause decay or rot. I grew up being taught that unwholesome talk was cussing. Cursing is inappropriate and unbecoming for a Christian. Unwholesome talk goes much deeper than that. The actual Greek word is used in reference to spoiled or rotten vegetables or meat. It means putrid, unfit for use. It can also mean of poor quality, worthless or corrupt.
Paul is talking about a way of talking that is caustic, that destroys someone emotionally. Our words are to be the opposite of unwholesome. They should encourage and uplift the ones we talk to.
Ephesians 4:30
NIV
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
EASY
30 Do not do anything that will make God's Holy Spirit sad. God gave his Holy Spirit to you to show that you belong to him. As a result you know that God will make you completely free one day.
One of the Greek words for grieve is lupete. It means to:
1. Make sorrowful
2. Cause sadness
3. Offend
4. Make uneasy
In this verse it give the idea of when we disobey God’s word, it makes the Holy Spirit sad. I also like the concept of uneasy. When we stray from God’s will, the Holy Spirit gets nervous or uneasy.
Paul draws another comparison in Ephesians 4:31-32.
NIV
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
EASY
31 Do not be jealous of other people. Do not become angry or shout at them. Do not quarrel with other people or insult them. Do not do anything or say anything that will hurt other people. 32 Instead, help one another and be kind to each other. Forgive one another. Remember that God has forgiven you because of what Christ has done.
Paul says stop doing these things. By the way, malice means:
• Intention or desire to do evil
• To cause pain, injury or distress to another.
In verse 32, Paul says to be kind, compassionate and forgiving.
Sweet Sisters, I think we could sum up today’s lesson with a passage that Jesus taught in Matthew 7:12.
NIV
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
EASY
So do the good things for other people that you would want them to do for you. That is true in everything you do. That is what God's Law and the messages of God's prophets teach us.’
If we talk to people and treat people the way we want to be talked to or treated, then we will be honoring God in the way we live.
Our next stop on our tour of Ephesians will be chapter 5.
Debbie
Posted on September 1, 2024
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Sweet Sisters,
As we begin our “tour” of Ephesians 4, I want to remind you that Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians in order to encourage them. He wants them to understand what it means to be God’s people. He wants them to be aware that the worldly people around them are watching them to see what makes their lives different. He emphasizes that the church is a family. Since they are a family, they are to love each other, support each other and stand together as one.
Our first stop on our tour will be Ephesians 4:1-3.
NIV
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
EASY
1 Because I serve the Lord, I am here in prison. I really want you to live as God's own people should live. God has called you to come to him. He has chosen you to be his own people. 2 Do not think that you are better than other people. Always be kind and patient with each other. Love one another, so that you do not quickly become angry with each other. 3 Do your best to let God's Spirit keep you united. You belong together so live in peace with each other.
In these verses, Paul is telling the church that they need to have balance in their lives. God has chosen them to be His people. He has blessed them. Now they need to reflect this in the way they live. There is an old phrase: “Don’t just talk the talk; walk the walk”. They need to put action behind their words.
What does Paul say that walking like God’s people would look like?
1) Be humble. That means don’t think you are better than ANYBODY! Paul will tell the Philippians the same thing in Philippians 2:3-4:
NIV
2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
EASY
3 In the way that you live, do not just try to help yourself. Do not be proud. Instead, respect other people. Think about other people as more important than yourself. 4 Do not think only about the things that you want to do for yourself. Each of you should think also about how you can help other people.
2). Be kind (gentle) and patient, gentleness and kindness influences those we come in contact with more than anything else we can do.
3). Love one another.
I Peter 4:8
NIV
8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
EASY
8 Continue to love each other very much. That is more important than anything else. If you love people, you will forgive them for any wrong things that they have done.
4). Do not react with anger. Sometimes we need to stop, the a few deep breaths and count to ten before we respond to a situation.
5). Be willing to be lead by the Spirit. He will give you the power to live in peace with one another. It is possible to live in peace with one another, members of God’s family and not agree with them. Relationships are more important than proving we are right.
Let’s move on to Ephesians 4:4-6
NIV
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
EASY
4 As God's people, you are like one body. There is one Spirit that gives you life. God has chosen you to be his own people. So you all expect to receive the same great things from God. 5 There is one Lord. There is one true message that we must believe. There is one baptism. 6 There is one God, who is the Father of all of us. He has authority over all of us. He works through all of us. He is in all of us.
The church, God’s family, is one body.. Paul discussed this earlier.
• The body has one head, Jesus
• The body is guided by one Spirit
• The body has one hope.
Romans 15:3
NIV
3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”
EASY
3 Even Christ did not just do things that would make himself happy. It is written in the Bible that he said this: ‘People have insulted you, God. In that way they have also insulted me.’
• The body has one Lord, Jesus
• The body has one faith. Faith is defined, in this sense, as belief and trust in and loyalty to God.
• The body has one baptism
Galatians 3:26-27
NIV
26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
EASY
26 All of you are God's children because you believe in Christ Jesus. 27 They baptized you as believers in Christ. That means that you have put on Christ, like someone who puts on new clothes.
• The body has one God and Father who has ultimate authority over everything.
Ephesians 1:22
NIV
22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
EASY
22 God has put all things under Christ's authority. He has made Christ the ruler over all things. He has done this to help his people, the church.
Now we are moving on to Ephesians 4:7-10:
NIV
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says:
“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”
9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)
EASY
7 But God has been kind to all of us. Each of us has received a special gift, just as Christ has decided to give us. 8 This is what it says about him:
‘When he went up to the highest place,
he led many prisoners with him.
Then he gave gifts to his people.’
9 It says: ‘He went up.’ That must mean that Christ had also come down. He came down to a lower place, the earth. 10 So the man who came down is also the man who went up, high above all the heavens. He did that so that he would fill everything everywhere.
These verses are describing the triumphal return of a conqueror from a victorious battle. Through Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, He was victorious over Satan. Jesus is victorious in heaven and on earth. Because He is victorious, Jesus gives gifts to His people (the spoils of war).
In Ephesians 4:11-13, Paul describes these gifts:
NIV
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
EASY
11 It was Christ who chose to give different gifts to his people. He chose some to be apostles. He chose some to speak messages from God. He chose some to tell God's good news to many people. He chose some to take care of his people, and to teach them. 12 He gave all these gifts to help God's people to serve him in different ways. As a result, the church, which is like Christ's body, would become strong. 13 In that way, all of us will become united, like one person. We will all believe in Jesus as the Son of God. We will all know him. We will become like a man who has grown up well. We will be completely as God wants us to be, just like Christ himself.
Jesus knew that in order for the church to become what He wanted it to be, the members would need to step up and help each other. He describes some of those roles in these verses.
• Apostles were the ones Jesus provided to lead and guide the church in its early days. They had actually walked with Jesus and been taught by Him. They had special gifts that validated what they taught was from God.
• Prophets - someone who speaks for God.
When I share what I read in the Bible, which is God’s Word with someone I am speaking God’s word to them. In the days of old, God would tell people He had chosen what He wanted His people to hear.
Sometimes His message included events that were in the future. This validated that the message they were speaking was from God. I personally believe that God still today uses prophets to proclaim His message. I’m not going to try and tell you exactly what that looks like. I just know that God has put messages on my heart before about specific individual that I felt compelled to share with them:
You’ve been on my heart.
I feel like God wants me to share
what I’ve been thinking with you.
• Evangelists: public speakers who share God’s message.
• Pastors comes from a Latin word. It means to shepherd. In the church it is the role of an elder. His role is to care and nurture those in the church.
I Peter 5:1-4
NIV
To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
EASY
1 Now I want to say something to you who are leaders of the groups of believers. Like you, I am also a leader. I myself saw how people caused Christ to have great pain so that he died. One day people will see how great he really is. Then I will be among those people who join with him in heaven. So I say this to you who are leaders: 2 Watch over the group of believers that God has given to you. Be like a shepherd that takes care of his sheep. Lead them well because you want to do it. Do not do it just because you have to do it. Do it in the way that God wants for you. Do not be a leader because you want to receive money for yourself. Instead, do it because you want to help people.
3 God has given you a group of believers to take care of them. Do not try to rule over them with power. Instead, show them how to live in a good way, so that they can copy you. 4 Then our master, Christ, will give you a beautiful crown when he appears. That is a great gift that will never become old or less beautiful. He is the great Shepherd who takes care of us.
• Teachers - a person who helps others to acquire knowledge, competences or values. They educate and empower. Those who teach in the church play a very important role. James, in James 3:1, talks about just how important their role is.
NIV
Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
EASY
1 My Christian friends, not many of you should become teachers. We people who teach God's message must be very careful. When God judges everybody, he will demand more from us than from other people.
Remember we discussed earlier that Jesus gave gifts to His people? The New Testament refers to these gifts in several places. In Romans 12:4-8, Paul also refers to gifts within the body. Let’s make a little side trip and check out this passage.
NIV
4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
EASY
4 Each part of our body works in a different way. But all the parts belong to our one body. 5 In the same way, we are many people, but we all belong to Christ, like one body. We also belong to each other, like the different parts of one body belong to each other.
6 God has been kind to us. He has given to each of us different gifts so that we can serve him. God helps some people to speak his messages clearly. Those people should trust God to tell them what to say. 7 God helps some people to serve others. They should do that well. God helps some people to be able to teach others. Those people should teach well.
8 If God has helped you to make others strong, then you should do that. If God has helped you to share your things with others, do that seriously. If God has helped you to be a leader, do that carefully. If God has helped you to be kind to others, do that happily.
I like this passage because it adds some gifts we all can have access to:
• Serving
• Encouraging
• Giving
• Showing mercy
Sweet Sisters, Paul compared the church to a body. Every part of the body has a purpose, a job to do. So it is with the church. God has blessed each member with a gift (purpose). God expects those gifts to be used to benefit the whole body.
Next week we will begin our tour of Ephesians 4 beginning at verse 14.
Debbie
Posted on August 25, 2024
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Sweet Sisters,
When we finished chapter two of Ephesians, Paul was telling the Ephesian’s church that he was praying for them because they are now one body of both Gentiles and Jews. As he continues in chapter three, he lets them know he is writing this letter from prison. He is in prison for serving Jesus.
Ephesians 3:1
New International Version (NIV)
3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
Easy English Bible (Easy)
3 That is why I pray for you. I, Paul, am in prison because I serve Christ Jesus. He has sent me to help you Gentiles.
In chapter 3:2-6 Paul talks more about what specifically he felt God had called him to preach.
NIV
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
Easy
2 You must have heard that God has chosen me to do that. He has been very kind to give me this work to help you. 3 God has clearly shown to me his true purpose. That was a secret before, but God has helped me to know it. I have written a few words about this already. 4 When you read those words, you will be able to understand. I have come to know God's true message about Christ. 5 God did not tell this secret message to the people who lived before us. But now the Holy Spirit has shown it to God's apostles and prophets. 6 This is the message of God's good news: Gentiles, as well as Jews, may receive the good things that God has prepared for his children. We may all belong to the same group of God's people, like we are his body. Everyone who is united with Christ Jesus receives the good things that God has promised.
He says in verses five and six that the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that the Good News of Jesus, is now for both Jews and Gentile.
Verses seven through eight talk about how God gave his special message to him to deliver even though he was the least of all God’s people.
NIV
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ,
Easy
7 I tell that good news to other people, because God chose me to serve him in that way. That was God's gift to me, because he is so kind. God uses his great power to help me in that work. 8 I am the least important of all God's people. But God has given this special work to me because he is so kind. He has sent me to tell his good news to the Gentiles. Then they know about the many valuable things that Christ has prepared for us.
In chapter 3:9-13 Paul describes the purpose of the church.
NIV
9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
Easy
9 I help everyone to know how God makes his purpose happen. God himself created all things, and he has hidden this secret during past times. 10 But now God wants the people of his church to show everyone how wise he is in every way. He wants the spiritual rulers and everything that has authority in the heavens to know this. 11 This had always been God's purpose, from the beginning of all things. And it was our Lord Christ Jesus who made it happen.
12 Because we are united with Christ, we can come near to God. We are not afraid to do that. We can be sure that God will accept us, because we trust in Christ. 13 So do not become weak or afraid. I am now suffering so that I can help you. So you should be strong, so that God will bless you.
The purpose of the church is to spread the Good News of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection on earth and in the spiritual realms. The “powers of the dark” are not omnipotent - they do not know all things. It is the job of the church to let them know that Jesus is victorious over all powers… on earth and in heaven.
Every time we say, “In the name of Jesus”, it tells the supernatural powers that God’s people are victorious over them.
Once again, in chapter 3:14-20, Paul is going to God on behalf of the Ephesians church. I want to look at these verses a few at a time.
Ephesians 3:14-15
NIV
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
Easy
14 Yes, that is why I pray for you. I go down on my knees to pray to God, our Father. 15 Every family, those in heaven and those on earth, receives its true name from him.
Notice that Paul is on his knees in prayer. He is seriously approaching God on their behalf. “Every family” may mean all living things.
Ephesians 3:16
NIV
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
Easy
16 I pray that God will cause you to be strong in your spirits. God has great and valuable things in heaven to help you. I pray that God's Spirit will help you with God's own power.
Paul prays that God will fill them with His Power and Spirit out of His great riches so they will be strong.
Philippians 4:13
NIV
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Easy
I can do all these things because Christ makes me strong.
Ephesians 3:17
NIV
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
Easy
I pray that Christ will make his home in you, as you believe in him. Then you will know God's love very well. You will be like trees that have roots which go down deep into God's love. That will make you strong.
Paul prays that God will dwell in their hearts because they believe in Him. Doesn’t it make you feel stronger when you know you are never alone? God is always with us.
John 14:23
NIV
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
Easy
Jesus replied, ‘Everyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them. And my Father and I will come to them and we will make our home with them.
I love Ephesians 3:18-20! They are such powerful verses!!
NIV
18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Easy
18 Then you will understand, with all God's people, how much Christ loves us. That love is very wide and long and high and deep! 19 Christ's love for us is so great that nobody can ever completely know it. As you understand this more and more, God's own nature will completely fill you.
20 We praise God, who causes his power to work in us. In that way, he is able to do much more than we could ever ask for. He can do much more than we could even think about.
Paul wants the Ephesian church to try and understand just how much God loves them and how powerful God’s love is. The King James Version uses the phrase, exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think in verse 20.
I also want to draw your attention to the phrase in the NIV, according to his power that is at work within us. God’s Holy Spirit wants to do great things in our lives. I believe we have to be willing to open our hearts and allow God’s Spirit to work.
Sweet Sisters, from the beginning of creation, God has given us the gift of choice. God never makes choices for us. There is absolutely nothing our God cannot do for us. The word “impossible” is not in His vocabulary. All we have to do is step out in trust and ask for what we want, believing God will do what is best for us.
Next week we will be studying Ephesians chapter four.
Debbie
