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Ephesians study 2 Ephesians 1:1–14

2 Blessing Him for blessing us. Ephesians 1:1–14


Purpose: To know God better and praise Him for His glory and grace


This letter launches right into praising God. But Paul is not trying to write a formal essay on the glory of God, this is a letter to you about God and us.


1.  Complete the following statement. God is:
               
In light of these things, why do you think we still struggle to consistently worship God?


2.  Read Ephesians 1:1–14. According to verses 3–6, what blessings are ours from the Father?


What other blessings, according to verses 7–12, do we have in Jesus Christ?



3.  Which of these is most significant to you? Explain.




4.  Ephesians 1:1–14 uses words like the will of God, chose, predestined, according to the plan and the purpose of his will. Much emotion can surround the discussion of such words. What is Paul's emotional reaction to being chosen and predestined?


What is yours?



5.  From the information given in 1:1–14 alone, what do we learn about being chosen by God?





6.  In the New Testament, the word mystery is not used of some murky idea we can never understand but of a secret, which has now been revealed (see 3:4–5). According to 1:9–10, God has blessed us by revealing the ultimate goal of all history. What is it?


8.  What blessings do we receive through the Holy Spirit (vv. 13–14)?




9.  Summarize God's redeeming purpose from eternity past to eternity future as described in 1:3–14. (Refer to question five in answering questions nine – eleven.)




10.  What motivated God to undertake this plan and give us all these blessings (vv. 5, 9)?




11.  What does it mean to be “to the praise of his glory” (1:6, 12, 14)?

How should this change our view on life?





12.  How has this passage increased your appreciation for your prominence in God's total purpose of the universe? Explain.




13.  Spend time in praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
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