Exposition Of Ephesians - Chapter 1Sample

Have you ever been in a rush to go somewhere, but couldn’t find your keys? You pat down your pockets. You check your purse. You search in between the couch seats, on the kitchen counter tops, and through all your drawers. Only to discover… they were in your hand the entire time!

How frustrating and tiring it is to search for something you already possess. And yet, many Christians live like this. They’re searching for peace, power, victory, and spiritual success, not realizing that God has already blessed them with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places. 

Paul brings attention to the privileges we have as members of the family of God. Many Christians are living spiritually poor lives, even though they are sitting on a pile of spiritual wealth. While God holds most of your spiritual inheritance for eternity, He will give you what you need now to fulfill His purpose for you. 

So Paul closes Chapter 1 by praying for us to gain wisdom, for us to have enlightened eyes, and for us to understand God’s great power. He wants us to understand everything that is available to us through the Trinitarian work of Christ, which provides all these spiritual blessings. However, they are only given through the church because the church exists as the vehicle by which God works out His plan to advance His kingdom. The church is the body of Christ, and it experiences spiritual blessings as it invades the world with the reality of the Kingdom of God. 

This means that our membership in the church is more than just a box to check off on our spiritual to do list. We get to actively participate in God’s plan. We get to be the hands and feet of Jesus. And as we participate, we will begin to experience all the spiritual blessings that are available for us. 

In what ways can you become more involved in your local church? 

If you've enjoyed this reading plan on the book of Ephesians, you may want to take the entire course "Exposition of Ephesians" at the Tony Evans Training Center, an online learning resource easily found here.  There  are courses on biblical exposition, contemporary topics and personal growth, and more.