Good Morning!

We are at the mid-point in our study of Ephesians: The Church Rooted in Love, Walking in Power by Precept Ministries. This past week, we began observing and marking the third chapter of Ephesians. Some of the key words we marked were church, mystery, and grace. We also delved into the mystery that Paul mentions.

“… by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;” Ephesians 3:3-5

The mystery revealed to the apostles and prophets in the Spirit that included Paul, to whom Christ appeared in His resurrected state (1 Corinthians 15:8-11), was that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the body, and partakers of the promise. They have been brought near to God so that Jew and Gentile believers unite to form the one body, the church.

In Week 5, we also charted all that we have learned from marking the word body in Ephesians 1-3. From Ephesians 1:22,23, we learned that Christ’s body is the church with Him as the head and that the body is to be the fullness of Him who fills all in all. From Ephesians 2:16, we discovered that Jews and Gentiles have been reconciled in this one body through the cross. In Ephesians 2:19-22, we read that the body is God’s household, a holy temple, and the dwelling place of God in the Spirit. And finally, we learned that God’s manifold wisdom is made known to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places through the church in Ephesians 3:10.

Paul was appointed by God to bring to light this hidden mystery and to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ to the Gentiles. Paul understood his calling and continued in his purpose even as an ambassador for Christ in chains. Paul didn’t lose heart in the midst of his suffering but fell on his knees prostrate in prayer before God the Father on behalf of these Gentile believers. He approached the Father with confident access knowing that he could boldly come before God because of the blood of Jesus and the Spirit.

This prayer is found in Ephesian 3:14-21. Paul requests that God strengthen the Ephesians with power through His Spirit in their inner being. This power that Paul is referencing is only inherent through His Spirit. In the Greek, the word is dunamis and looks similar to the English word dynamite which hints at this type of power. Dunamis is the mighty miraculous power that raised Jesus from the dead.(Philippians 3:10) Paul prays for these believers to be strengthened with that resurrection power. This power is not only available to them but to all who have received Christ Jesus and are filled with the Spirit.

Paul also requests that they would know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge and be filled up to all the fullness of God. He longed for these new believers to be rooted and grounded in love and to know the unfathomable riches of the love of Christ. 

In the video that accompanies this lesson, Kay Arthur gave an overview of Ephesians 3 and challenged the listener to answer these questions: Am I going to live/walk in the Light? Will the way that I walk be a testimony to others? How will I look at my circumstances or order my affairs? The video series is available from Precept Ministries, click here.

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20,21

Begin Week 6 lessons. If you would like to begin this study from the beginning, click here .

Blessings,

Mimi