Introduction

Every Nation

Introduction

Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians has often been referred to as “The Queen of the Epistles.” Commentators throughout history have regularly agreed that it is the most profound of all Paul’s writings. If Romans is Paul’s greatest work on the gospel, then Ephesians is Paul’s most significant work on the Church and God’s eternal purposes.

He wrote the letter during his first imprisonment at Rome, far from the noise and turmoil that marked his earlier life. From this vantage point, he could look at the Church, get a view of it in its wholeness, and see the part it would play in God’s scheme for the restoration of humankind.

In Paul’s letter, he describes the Church as God’s Temple with the Father as the architect, Jesus as the builder, and the Holy Spirit as the divine presence that dwells in it. It is not constructed of stone and marble but of living people in reconciled relationships—a vital, loving family, enriched and sustained by the love of God. Its treasury is stocked with spiritual blessings in heavenly places.

The structure of the letter follows a pattern that is normal with Paul. He first lays the foundation of what God has done in Christ and then follows it with the necessary corollary of obedience and holy living. Paul was never content to discuss doctrine without leading to practical application, nor to give moral imperatives without first grounding them in what God has done in Christ. In chapters 1–3, he lays the theological foundation of what God has done for us in Christ. In chapters 4–6, he provides us with the practical implications.

During this week of prayer, fasting, and consecration, let’s join our Every Nation family around the world as we survey the Apostle Paul’s rich epistle. Together, we’ll find a greater understanding of what it means to be a Christian and how that identity shapes our conduct and calling as his Church.

Before You Fast

Ephesians 1

Read Ephesians 1 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places . . .” — Ephesians 1:3 “I am in Christ.” Stop and ponder that for a while. Say it to yourself a few times, with varying emphasis. Savor the richness of this profound truth. “In Christ” determines our new identity. Being in Christ not only redefines who we are, but it also supersedes all other possible definitions. Gender, culture, nationality, ethnicity, political affiliation—every label is secondary and subservient to our identity in Christ. “In Christ” describes our spiritual position. We are united in Christ, beneficiaries of a new covenant that we did not deserve and cannot ever earn. We have legal right to claim all that is Christ’s as our own. And this inheritance is available for us today. “In Christ” defines our current reality. All blessings of the Spirit, every good and pleasant thing he wants to bestow on us are already ours in Christ. His favor is not something we have to work for to receive. “In Christ” recognizes our benefactor. In ourselves, we are helpless, wretched, with nothing to offer. But in Christ and only through Christ do we have life and all we need. No one who has experienced his fullness will ever choose to abide in anything or anyone else. Apply: 1. List all of the spiritual blessings in Ephesians 1 that God has given to believers in Christ. 2. How does our identity in Christ affect the manner and confidence with which we should pray? 3. What one thing will you change today as a result of what the Holy Spirit has revealed to you through this study? Pray: *Pray to Know God Better* “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him . . .” — Ephesians 1:16–17 Heavenly Father, thank you for opening the eyes of my heart so I may fully grasp the hope that is now mine in Christ. I understand that you have called me out of darkness into your marvelous light—you have called me to walk with you. May holiness and faithfulness mark my every step. Help me to remember that not only am I rich in you but that you see me as your prized inheritance. May your light shine through my life in a way that brings honor to your name. Be glorified in all I think, say, and do. All this I pray in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen. “And Can It Be That I Should Gain” Charles Wesley (1738) And can it be that I should gain An interest in the Savior’s blood Died He for me, who caused His pain For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me? Amazing love! How can it be That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me? He left His Father’s throne above So free, so infinite His grace Emptied Himself of all but love And bled for Adam’s helpless race ‘Tis mercy all, immense and free For O my God, it found out me! Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shoudlst die for me? Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature’s night Thine eye diffused a quickening ray I woke, the dungeon flamed with light My chains fell off, my heart was free I rose, went forth, and followed Thee Amazing love! How can it be That Thou, my God shouldst die for me? No condemnation now I dread Jesus, and all in Him, is mine Alive in Him, my living Head And clothed in righteousness divine Bold I approach the eternal throne And claim the crown, through Christ my own Amazing love! How can it be That Thou my God, shouldst die for me?

Day 1

Ephesians 2

Read Ephesians 2 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God . . .” — Ephesians 2:8 The late Canadian evangelist Ern Baxter once said, “When Jesus said, ‘It is finished,’ it was finished and you either take it finished or you don’t get it at all. We are constantly trying to improve what cannot be improved. Imagine someone unveiling a great work of art while everyone stands amazed at the beauty of the painting. But an amateur in the crowd grabs a brush and a daub of paint and approaches the painting saying, ‘I think he missed it here.’ The crowd shouts, ‘Keep your hands off that canvas.’ The masterpiece of the cross is a finished work and any attempt to add to it only destroys its power and effectiveness.” Christ’s work on the cross is enough—a masterpiece of grace and love. It beautifully depicts both our helpless state and his unsolicited benevolence in a way that is both tragic and glorious at the same time. Stare at his masterpiece. The more we see the gospel for what it truly is, the deeper our response of reverence, gratefulness, wonder, and joy. It is impossible to encounter his workmanship and move from the experience unchanged. What’s equally amazing is this same Divine Craftsman is at work on another masterpiece—you. In Ephesians 2:10, Paul says that “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Will you let him work in and through you to produce what he envisioned for you, even before the creation of the world? Apply: 1. According to Ephesians 2, what was our condition without Christ? What has God done for us? What motivated God to do this for us? 2. Read Ephesians 2:8–10. How do good works relate to our salvation? 3. What one thing will you change today as a result of what the Holy Spirit has revealed to you through this study? Pray: *Pray to Understand Your Calling* “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers that . . . having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints . . .” — Ephesians 1:16, 18 Heavenly Father, thank you for opening the eyes of my heart so I may fully grasp the hope that is now mine in Christ. I understand that you have called me out of darkness into your marvelous light—you have called me to walk with you. May holiness and faithfulness mark my every step. Help me to remember that not only am I rich in you but that you see me as your prized inheritance. May your light shine through my life in a way that brings honor to your name. Be glorified in all I think, say, and do. All this I pray in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen. “Come Thy Fount of Every Blessing” Robert Robinson (1758) Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace; streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount I’m fixed upon it mount of God’s redeeming love. Here I’ll raise my Ebenezer hither by thy help I’ve come; and I hope, by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God; he, to rescue me from danger, bought me with his precious blood. Oh, to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee: prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here’s my heart, O take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above.

Day 2

Ephesians 3

Read Ephesians 3 “According to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being.” — Ephesians 3:16 In Ephesians 1:19–20, Paul introduced the theme of God’s mighty power, referring to “the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead.” “According to” is a prepositional phrase that means “determined by.” Think of it as a credit limit. Credit cards normally have credit limits that determine your spending power. Once you reach your limit, you have no more spending power. Paul is stating that the credit limit on the power available to all believers is the amount of power released in the resurrection of Christ. How much power is that? In the Victors Bible Background Commentary, Lawrence Richards said, “Paul piled up synonyms to emphasize the overwhelming nature of that divine power. The words Paul used include ‘dynamis’ (intrinsic capability), ‘energeia’ (effective power in action), ‘kratos’ (power exerted to control and overcome resistance), and ‘ischys’ (the vital power inherent in life).” In Ephesians 3, Paul again piled on synonyms to express the immensity of this power available to us. He started with the root word, “ekperissos,” which means “superabundant in quantity, excessive, and beyond measure.” It is the same word Luke used to describe the twelve leftover baskets after Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish. It is a word that means more than enough of whatever you need. He then added the prefix, “huper,” which means “over, beyond, and above.” And just in case we missed his point, he added an extra “huper”! That’s the extent of the Holy Spirit’s power at work in us. Apply: 1. What habits and routines can you build into your lifestyle to help you “be filled with all the fullness of God”? (v 19) 2. How did Paul describe God in Ephesians 3:20? Prayerfully consider if you’ve somehow limited what God can do in and through you. 3. What one thing will you change today as a result of what the Holy Spirit has revealed to you through this study? Pray: *Pray to Experience His Power* “That you may know . . . what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places . . .” — Ephesians 1:18–20 Heavenly Father, give me a greater revelation of your immeasurable power. You are a mighty God. Increase my faith and help me break through any limitation I may have set on you and on what you can do. Thank you that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is actively at work in me right now. I choose not to rely on my own ability, but I depend on your Holy Spirit to live out your holy calling. I confess that apart from you, I can do no good thing. May your life and power overflow in me, and may I become a more effective witness to the watching world around me. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. “Breathe on Me, Breath of God” Edwin Hatch (1878) Breathe on me, Breath of God, Fill me with life anew, That I may love what Thou dost love, And do what Thou wouldst do. Breathe on me, Breath of God, Until my heart is pure, Until with Thee I will one will, To do and to endure. Breathe on me, Breath of God, Till I am wholly Thine, Until this earthly part of me Glows with Thy fire divine. Breathe on me, Breath of God, So shall I never die, But live with Thee the perfect life Of Thine eternity.