Ephesians: Gospel-Driven Unity
When God created the world, He created it diverse. He made a sun and a moon, land and water, earth and sky, animals that crawl, animals that swim, humans that were male, humans that were female, different ethnicities, and so on. The goal of all this was that the diverse parts of creation would come together as a sort of symphony, worshipping Him. Since then however, our differences have become a cause of division. Whether it’s gender, race, political views, or nationality, conflict is all around us. In the book of Ephesians, Paul proclaims the good news of what God has done in Christ to restore the unity He originally intended. He then spells out for us how that good news enables us to live unified lives with God and one another despite our differences. The gospel is the thing that creates unity, and it’s the only thing that can ultimately drive real unity.
While the book of Ephesians has given us incredible hope for a reconciled community of peace, it seems so far from our experience sometimes. This is because we are in a battle, and the enemy and warfare may not be what we think. This passage shows us how to be strengthened to stand in the battle.
Resources:
The Letter to the Ephesians, Commentary by Peter T. O’Brien
Ephesians For You, Richard Coekin
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
As we continue to look at the results of being filled by the Spirit, we move from the family to the workplace. Here we see that both employers and employees alike are to work like Jesus is their boss, because He is. This enables employees to obey their employers, and employers to serve rather than threaten their employees.
Resources:
The Letter to the Ephesians, Commentary by Peter T. O’Brien
Ephesians For You, Richard Coekin
Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work, Timothy Keller
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Those who are gifted with children are admonished to weave their families together: in proper priority, in submission to one another, and with the purpose of lovingly passing on the truth of God to the next generation. Only when we’re parented by our Father can we parent our kids.
Resources:
The Letter to the Ephesians, Commentary by Peter T. O’Brien
Ephesians For You, Richard Coekin
The Meaning of Marriage, Timothy Keller
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
In Ephesians 5:15-33, Paul unfolds how the Holy Spirit empowers husbands and wives to reflect the cosmic marriage between Christ and the church.
Resources:
Ephesians 5:15-33
Ephesians For You by Richard Coekin
Pillar NT Commentary on Ephesians by Peter T. O’brien
10 Things You Need to Know About the Filling of the Spirit in Ephesians 5:18
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
While a lot of this passage focuses on sexuality, it goes deeper than sexual behavior to the covetous desires that fuel it. These covetous desires leave us in darkness, but through faith in Christ we can actually become light. How do we now relate to those in darkness? For their good, this passage shows us how to live as the light we are.
Resources:
The Letter to the Ephesians, Commentary by Peter T. O’Brien
Ephesians For You, Richard Coekin
Sexual Sanity for Men, Dave White
Sexual Sanity for Women, Ellen Dykas
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
We have been called to unity with God and one another through Jesus Christ. Therefore, we are to align our conduct with our calling to unity by loving one another as God loves us.
Resources:
Ephesians 4:17-5:2
Ephesians For You by Richard Coekin
Pillar Commentary, Ephesians by Peter O’brien
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
According to Ephesians 1-3, God has called us to unity with himself and one another through Christ. In todays passage, God calls us to align our conduct with our calling to unity.
Resources:
Ephesians 4:1-16
Ephesians For You by Richard Coekin
Pillar NT Commentary Series, Ephesians by Peter O’brien
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Paul prays that God would be glorified in the Ephesian Church. When God is glorified in the church, we become mature and experience his perfect love.
Resources:
The Letter to the Ephesians, Commentary by Peter T. O’Brien
Ephesians For You, Richard Coekin
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Every Christian community exists to show the rulers and authorities just how brilliant the gospel of Jesus Christ is.
Resources:
Ephesians 3:1-13
The Compelling Community by Jamie Dunlop & Mark Dever
Ephesians For You by Richard Coekin
Pillar NT Commentary Series, Ephesians by Peter O’brien
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Paul tells his readers that through Christ, we have peace with God and one another.
Resources:
Ephesians For You by Richard Coekin
Pillar New Testament Commentary, Ephesians by Peter O’Brien
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
In Ephesians 2:1-10, Paul tells his readers that God lavishes grace on us so that you can show off his grace in us.
Resources:
Ephesians 2:1-10
Ephesians For You by Richard Coekin
Pillar New Testament Commentary, Ephesians by Peter O’brien
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
In the first part of Ephesians 1, Paul reminds his readers of all the spiritual blessings God the Father has given us through His Son. In the Ephesians 1:15-23, Paul prays that we’ll truly know all the blessings we’ve been given in Christ.
Resources:
Ephesians 1:15-23
Ephesians For You by Richard Coekin
Pillar NT Commentary, Ephesians by Peter O’brien
“Why the Ascension of Jesus Matters to You” by Russell Moore
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
God calls us to glorify him with our lips and our lives in response to His three greatest blessings in Christ: adoption, redemption and glorification!
Resources:
Ephesians 1:1-14
Ephesians For You by Richard Coekin
Pillar NT Commentary, Ephesians by Peter O’briend
Podcast: Play in new window | Download