Ephesians 1:1-14

Discussion notes based on the sermon preached the evening of 23-04-23

STUDY MATERIAL

Read the passage again and don’t forget to start your meeting in prayer.

Particularly ask that the Holy Spirit would guide your discussion and help you to apply what is said in Scripture to your lives today. Sermons are available on the St John’s website or YouTube channel.

Sermon Outline

God is the active agent and has blessed us with every(!) spiritual blessing in Christ through his death, so cease striving and have peace about what lies ahead.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

Starter: When do you feel like God is holding something back from you? When do you find yourself striving to win God’s favour? When are you worried about what God has in store for you?

Read Ephesians 1:1-14

  1. Look at verse 3. Who is the subject? What is the verb? Who is the object? (i.e. Who is doing the thing? What are they doing? Who are they doing it to?)
  2. This pattern continues throughout verses 3 to 14. Compile a list of everything God has done for us throughout these verses. (Perhaps think what each member of the Trinity does.)
  3. Why is is comforting to see God is the active agent? Why is that hard for us to grasp?
  4. What does it mean that we have every spiritual blessing in Christ?
  5. How does Eph 1:1-14 help us when when doubt that God is on our side?
  6. How does Eph 1:1-14 help us put an end to our striving to earn God’s favour?

Prayer

Praise God for every spiritual blessing that he has given you in Christ.

Pray that you would trust that God is good and not try to earn his favour or doubt hid future for you.