Scripture:  Ephesians 1:1-14       Commentary 1:1-3        Commentary 1:4-14

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ” (Ephesians 1:3, NLT).

Observation:

Paul is painting a picture of how God sees us:  His precious adopted children who are “without fault” in God’s eyes. In these fourteen verses Paul proclaims the many “spiritual blessings” that are already ours.

• v.4 God loved us and chose us in Christ.
• v.5 God adopted us into his own family.
• v.6 God “poured out on us” glorious grace.
• v.7 He purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son.
• v.7 He forgave our sins.
• v.8 He has showered us with kindness  wisdom, and understanding.
• v.9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan.
• v.11 We are united with Christ.
• v.11 We have received an inheritance from God.
• v.13 He identified you as his own.
• v.14 He gives us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of his promise.

Application:

These are not goals that I need to strive for; these are blessings that are already mine. God wants me to own my identity as his child who has his approval and has a guaranteed inheritance of complete forgiveness, the presence of his Holy Spirit, and life everlasting. To see myself as other than loved, chosen, blessed, and faultless is to deny the heritage that the blood of his Son purchased for me.

Prayer:

Father, rid me of false images of myself. Fill me with awareness of your pleasure in making me your child. Grant me your grace to live joyfully as your child. Thank you for the blessings of kindness, wisdom, and understanding that you have showered on me. May the family of which you have been pleased to make me a part be united in your Son. In whose name I pray, Amen.

Please share your S.O.A.P. insights by commenting below.

Scripture:       Ephesians 1:15-23        Commentary 1:15-23

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:19-20, NLT).

“. . . how tremendous is the power available to us who believe in God” (Ephesians 1:19b, J. B. Phillips, The New Testament in Modern English, 1962 edition by HarperCollins).

Observation:

Paul is exhorting his readers who are already strong in faith to continue growing. Although they have every spiritual blessing (v.3), Paul constantly prayed for them to gain spiritual wisdom and insight, to grow in their knowledge of God, and to understand the confident hope that God has given them. Finally, he prayed that they would understand the tremendous power that is available to believers.

Application:

Being “strong in faith” is not a destination; it’s a byproduct of continually seeking God in prayer. I have tremendous power available to me for the asking. I can be confident that God will freely make himself known to me and give me wisdom and insight. Christ is in control of all things (v.22); no situation of mine—past, present, future—escapes his notice or is beyond his power to affect. The limitations are mine when I fail to “avail” myself of his tremendous power.

Prayer:

Father, forgive me for reacting ineffectually to situations by not availing myself of your great power. Forgive me for neglecting to pray constantly for other believers. Take away my despair; fill me with hope. Keep me confident of Christ’s authority over every circumstance of my own and others’ lives. Grant me your wisdom and insight so that I may know you better and be made full and complete by your Son in whose name I pray, Amen.

Please share your S.O.A.P. insights by commenting below.

Scripture:     Ephesians 2:1-10     Commentary

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NLT).

Observation:

Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done (v.9, NLT). Salvation is a gift of mercy and grace from our loving Father (v.8). My transformation from a person who followed her sinful nature to a child of God who displays the character of Christ is the work of God. It is my transformation, not my deeds, that is God’s masterpiece. God is painting a picture of mercy, grace, and love over the canvas of my life.

Application:

When I hold onto guilt, I obscure the vivid colors of God’s masterpiece of incredible grace and kindness (v.7), much as soot dulled the finish of the great cathedral art in Europe.  Trying to cover up my unworthiness with good deeds is not the same as deeds of compassion arising from my gratitude for what Christ has done for me. To be God’s masterpiece means I must rely on him for transformation—asking for his grace and allowing him to change me—so he can showcase his love, mercy, and grace.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for your merciful, compassionate gift of grace to me. When I am tempted to measure myself against others, remind me I have no reason to boast. When I fail, grant me a glimpse of the masterpiece you are creating to show others your love and kindness. Guide me to the works you have planned for me to do so that others may know your Son, in whose name I pray, Amen.

Scripture:     Ephesians 2:11-22     Commentary

Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. (Ephesians 2:16, NLT).

Observation:

How difficult it must have been for these two ethnic groups to come together and fully accept one another as loved by God and then to carry out the great commandment of Jesus “to love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34). Paul describes their differences in detail: the Jews excluded the Gentiles, and the Gentiles’ sinful pursuits offended the Jews. Within the early church, many Jewish believers would not accept the Gentiles as saved unless they adhered to the law. But Christ did not die and rise again so that we could be better rule followers. Instead, he united all believers into a family by “ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations” (v.15). In so doing, he ends the hostilities and brings us all peace.

Application:

I need to be aware of allowing “walls of hostility” to arise between me and other believers. Insisting that other believers abide by my ideas is an act of hostility against those for whom Christ died. Even worse, insisting on my way displaces Christ as the cornerstone and fails to honor the price of my own inclusion among the people of God, Christ’s own death.

Prayer:

Father, Open my eyes to walls I’ve erected between me and other believers. Grant me your grace to let go of my own ideas and allow Christ’s love to destroy these barriers to unity. Forgive me for devaluing the sacrifice of your Son who died to join me together with others into the temple where you live by your Spirit. May your church be united in love and filled with the peace of your Son, in whose name I pray, Amen.

Scripture:      Ephesians 3:1-13     Commentary

And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 3:6, NLT).

Observation:

The revealing of God’s plan to the Ephesians and other Gentile believers came at great cost—the death of Jesus and the imprisonment and sufferings of Paul. Paul’s troubles started when the Jewish religious leaders balked at the good news he proclaimed (Acts 13): “. . . through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God” (Acts 13:38-39, NLT). This message led to Paul’s arrest when he revisited Jerusalem after starting churches in Gentile cities (Acts 21).

Application:

The greatest attraction of the good news—”Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God”—can also be my greatest stumbling block, that is, everyone. Everyone includes the people whom I do not want on my A list: pushy, insensitive, hurtful, abusive, picky, annoying, overbearing, self-important, impatient people—in other words, people just like me. God wants me to share the kingdom; there’s enough “endless treasures” (v.8) for all of us.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for making a place in your kingdom for me and for giving me the privilege of spreading the good news. Forgive me when I fail to honor others who share equally in the riches your Son’s death provides for us all. Give me grace to embrace other believers with genuine love. Fill me with compassion for those who do not yet know about the endless treasures available to them in Christ, in whose name I pray, Amen.

Scripture:    Ephesians 3:14-21     Commentary

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God (Ephesians 3:19, NLT).

Observation:

Paul wants his readers to do what seems impossible to them. They are to love deeply, accept fully, and unite unreservedly with people with whom they are at odds. In this prayer Paul reminds us that through the Spirit we have “unlimited resources” (v.16) and a “power at work within us to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (v.20). That power comes not from our will. It comes from experiencing the depth of Christ’s love for us.

Application:

God wants me to trust that his Son’s love for me is more than enough to meet every challenge of my life. As I trust him, he is more at home in me strengthening and empowering me.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for loving me beyond what I can fully understand. Fill me with your love for others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-13 Commentary 4:1-3 Commentary 4:4-6 Commentary 4:7-12

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love (Ephesians 4:2, NLT).

Observation:

Although Christ gives gifts to each of us to equip and build his church, getting along with one another is up to us. Paul places the effort to be united on us: Be humble, be gentle, be patient, and make allowances. Paul reminds us that we have equal status before Christ for “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all” (v.5,6). In view of this, there is no justification for personal pride, harsh words, impatience, or criticism of others’ faults. I, too, am a captive that he freed and gifted.

Application:

God wants me to keep in mind how my calling came about as I interact with others. I, a slave to sin and condemned to die, was set free by Christ. He generously gave me gifts to use within the church. Their purpose is to build up, equip, and bind me together in peace with other believers. When I am critical of others, I have set myself up rather than Christ as the standard of the faith.

Prayer:

Father, forgive me for hurting your other gifted children with critical remarks. Keep my focus on pleasing you and measuring up to your Son and not comparing my works with others’. Give me your grace to love others humbly, gently, and patiently. Remind me that your Son made allowances for my faults so that I, in turn, can extend His grace to others. Bring your church together in the unity of peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture:  Ephesians 4:13-24     Commentary

He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love (Ephesians 4:16, NLT).

Observation:

Paul wants the believers, united in Christ, to live so that each individual matures. The pronoun we occurs repeatedly. We come to unity in faith, and we will be mature in Christ (v.13). We are not blown about by new teaching nor influenced by clever lies (v.14). We will speak the truth in love, and we continue growing in every way more and more like Christ (v.15). The body’s health depends on each member loving, growing, doing his or her work, rejecting evil, and being renewed by the Spirit.

Application:

I want to be part of a body of believers that “is healthy and growing and full of love.” To have this, I must embrace the “we” that is pursuing Christ’s truth and growing in love. As with a child’s development, growth impacts the whole body. Failure of individual parts to grow causes the body to be misshapen. By my putting on my new nature with its Spirit-renewed thoughts and attitudes, my community of believers becomes more and more like Christ.

Prayer:

Father, forgive me for placing the body at risk by refusing to let the Spirit mature me. Renew my thoughts and attitudes and fill me with love for the body. Give me your strength to overcome temptation and your wisdom to discern your truth. Empower me to do the special work you have given me to do within the body. Grow your church and grow me to be more like your Son, in whose name we pray, Amen.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:25—5:2     Commentary

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30, NLT).

Observation:

The sins which bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit are hurtful words: lying; foul, abusive, and angry speech; bitterness and rage; and harsh words and slander. The warning against stealing (v.28) may be the theft we commit when we steal another’s good image or reputation by what we say. These are not just bad habits; Paul labels them “evil behavior.” Only by living a life of love following Christ’s example do we rid ourselves of these sins which damage us and other believers.

Application:

My desire to “vent” my feelings is a destructive, evil habit. Every person with whom I interact is someone Christ loves and for whom he died. When I complain, I am forgetting that I, too, have been forgiven at great cost (v.32). I need to replace my harsh words with kind, helpful words of encouragement (v.29). Then I will be living up to being a dear child of God (v.5:1).

Prayer:

Father, forgive me for bringing sorrow to your Holy Spirit through angry, thoughtless speech. Bring healing to those I have wounded by my words. Fill me with love so that I may speak kind, encouraging words which honor you and those you love. Thank you, Father, for making me your forgiven child by the death of your Son, in whose name we pray, Amen.

Scripture:  Ephesians 5:3-20     Commentary

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do (Ephesians 5:15-17, NLT).

Observation:

Sin takes no thought or planning. It’s easy to be greedy, impure, or immoral and to go along with and excuse those who are. Living a life pleasing to the Lord, however, takes deliberation. We must first “carefully determine” what pleases God (v.10) then carefully live it (v.15).  We must exercise wisdom (v.15) and understanding (v.17). Only then can we make the most of every opportunity to be people of the light, producing what is “good and right and true” (v.9).

Application:

Rejecting sin is not enough. Unless I purposefully choose to do good instead, I miss an opportunity to serve Jesus. Sin can effortlessly and thoughtlessly fill the vacuum left by those missed opportunities. My “careful” life of pleasing the Lord recognizes each situation as an occasion to express my love and thankfulness to Jesus.

 Prayer:

Father, fill my heart with songs of thankfulness. Transform my thinking. Give me grace to welcome every encounter and challenge as an opportunity to serve your Son. Forgive my greed and thoughtless, sinful speech and actions. Replace what is impure in me with your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture:  Ephesians 5:21-6:9     Commentary

And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21, NLT).

Observation:

Paul describes four relationships: believer to believer, husband to wife, child to parent, and slave to master. He offers a guiding principle for all four: submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (v.21). One dictionary defines submit as “to stop trying to fight or resist something.”1 Christ gave up his life out of love for my fellow believers, my spouse, my children, my parents, and my superiors at work (v.25). By not fighting or resisting them, Christ is honored.

Application:

With the exception of the “masters” (v.5-8), the described relationships are among believers. Paul advises slaves to obtain their freedom if possible (1 Corinthians 7:21). If freedom cannot be obtained, slaves can regard themselves as “slaves of Christ” who do the will of God (v.6-7).

Yet among believers how does submission work? Because Christ died for and loves each believer, arguments have no place. Each interaction is an opportunity to serve Christ. Yet do I have to go along with every believer’s idea? Two principles guide me: I must be aware of my own great value to Christ, and I must remain in a loving relationship with other believers.

Because Christ alone is important, I can submit to another’s idea. The other believer is loved, and Christ is honored. Yet if submitting drives a wedge between us, I can “speak the truth in love” (v.4:15). This is different from insisting on my way. It means gently explaining how the other’s request is difficult for me. In this way, both believers honor each other as members of Christ body. Together we can find a way to work for and honor Christ who died for both of us.

Prayer:

Father, grant me the grace to submit to other believers, so Christ who died for all is honored. Forgive my selfish need to insist that others submit to me. Give me a discerning heart. Show me my need to submit as well as my need to speak the truth in love. May your Son be revered in my relationships with others. In His name, Amen.

1“submit.” Merriam-Webster.com. 2011. http://www.merriam-webster.com (1 March 2015).

Scripture:  Ephesians 6:10-24    Commentary 6:10-20     Commentary 6:21-22     Commentary 6:23-24

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies (Ephesians 6:11-12a, NLT).

Observation:

The challenge to love other believers and to accept them as full members of Christ’s body requires the Lord’s strength and mighty power (v.10). The evil one plots our ruin by magnifying differences between ourselves and other believers (v.13). If we buy into this evil plan, we sabotage our own standing in the body as well as the spread of the Good News (v.19). Our call is to stand firm and to resist the evil scheme of division.  The Lord equips us with his own armor as we pray in the Spirit for ourselves and other believers.

Application:

I need to ask God each day to outfit me with his armor. Only then will I be strong enough to resist the temptation to pull back from a brother or sister in Christ. Standing firm in his armor and praying for the success of my fellow soldiers, the Good News of Christ’s love and grace for us all will advance.

Prayer:

Father, bind your armor on me. Belt the truth of your love around me. Protect my heart with love for all. Cover my feet with your Good News, so I walk in peace with others.  Shield me with an unshakable faith in your mercy and grace for all. Strap salvation to my mind, so my thoughts march in line with yours. Equip me with an understanding of your word, and make me alert to your Spirit’s promptings. In Jesus’ name, Amen.