OPEN
If new people have joined your group, take time to introduce yourselves to each other.
1. What’s something you understand differently now than you did five or ten years ago?
2. Describe a time you felt hopeful recently.

ABOUT EPHESIANS
Ephesians is Paul’s letter celebrating God’s grace in Christ and showing how the Gospel creates a new kind of people. Chapters 1-3 lift our eyes to the grace of God and what He’s done. Believers have been chosen, redeemed, and the Spirit has sealed them as His own. Salvation is not earned by good works; it is God’s gift, received by faith, so we may now walk worthy of our calling. Paul also explains that Christ has broken down the old wall between Jew and Gentile, making one united family, one temple, and one body under one Lord. Chapters 4-6, then, turn doctrine into daily life. Because Christians belong to Christ, they are called to humility, unity, truthfulness, purity, forgiveness, wise speech, thankful worship, faithful marriages, obedient households, honest work, and spiritual alertness. Ephesians closes by reminding believers that the Christian life is a real spiritual battle, but God provides armor through truth, righteousness, the Gospel, faith, salvation, His Word and prayer. In simple terms, Ephesians teaches us to know who we are in Christ, live worthy of that calling, and stand firm together in God’s strength as His church today.

PRAY
Invite someone to open your time in prayer.

GROUP TIPS
◾If your group has eight or more people, it might be helpful to break into circles of four or five for greater participation and deeper discussion. When you come back together, invite each group to share a few takeaways from their conversation.

◾Don’t worry if you don’t get to all the questions. Spend time reading and really thinking about what the Bible is saying and what God is revealing to you personally.

1. What did Paul hear about the Ephesian believers that caused him to thank God?

2. What do you notice about the things Paul chooses to pray for them?

3. What might Paul mean when he asks God to give believers wisdom and revelation so that they may know him better?

4. Where might God be inviting you to slow down and ask for spiritual understanding rather than immediately trying to solve a problem?

5. In the Bible, the heart refers to the whole inward person—thoughts, desires and affections. What do you think it means to have the eyes of your heart enlightened?

6. What do you notice happening in you when Paul speaks about hope? Does that word feel comforting, difficult, distant or something else?

7. How does Jesus’ resurrection bring hope and power?

8. Why does Paul spend so much time describing God’s power rather than simply saying, God is powerful?

9. Sometimes we want God’s power mainly to remove difficulty. How might this passage expand the way we think about experiencing God’s power?

10. How have you experienced God’s power?

11. Where does Christ’s authority feel reassuring to you? Where might it raise questions or tension?

12. How would your life change if you became more deeply convinced God is powerfully working in you and those around you? Share a specific example of how this truth would be helpful.

13. As you read Paul’s prayer, which request feels most connected to something happening in your life right now?

14. Who in your life could you pray for using the priorities of this passage?

15. Which part of Paul’s prayer do you think people in our community most need right now?

ONE THING
Ask God what He wants to say to you, then spend a few minutes quietly listening for Him to speak. This could be a word or phrase from the passage that stands out to you, or a simple thought He brings to mind.

PRAY
Share what you sensed God saying to you and pray for each other.

SCRIPTURE MEMORY
Memorizing Scripture helps us carry the words of God with us all the time, wherever we go. His Word gives light and direction and ultimately has the power to change us and deepen our relationship with Him. Here’s a good verse to memorize based on this week’s teaching:

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.
Ephesians 1:18 (NIV)

App and the Daily Devotional
Spend time with God with the Daily Devotionals available on the App. You can also find Sunday Message resources and videos, leave prayer requests, give and more.

Why Jesus?
If you’ve never experienced God’s forgiveness and grace, we’d love the opportunity to talk with you about a life-changing relationship with Jesus. Email thepastors@brookwoodchurch.org or call 864.688.8200.

Additional Study Tools
For additional Bible Study tools, guides and devotionals, check out bible.com, youversion.com, biblegateway.com and blueletterbible.org.