-Share your name with the class and tell us what your plans are for next week-end.
-Do you ever give thought to how wonderful God is? How great He is? How perfect the plan is for your life? Your life has been perfect up to now, hasn’t it?
-Would you build a house without a set of plans? If you purchased a product that required assembly but contained no instructions or plans would you return it to the store? Would you live an entire life without consulting your creator as to the plans He has made for your life?
-Paul wrote Ephesians while in jail. As he begins this letter, how does he describe himself to us and his readers? Can someone give us a description of what an apostle is? Do we still have apostles today?
-Did the fact that Paul was under arrest stop him from being an apostle?
-Have you ever allowed setbacks or temporary failures to distract you from what God is calling you to do? Have you ever stopped being what God wants you to be because of worldly distractions?
-How do you guard against distractions that shuffle your God-given plan and direction for your life?
-Paul addressed the Ephesians as being “in Christ”, in your own words, what does that mean?
-Throughout Paul’s writings he uses the phrase “in Christ”. We will find it many times in Ephesians. To be “in Christ” means our lives are totally engulfed by Him and His life. Christ provides the context in which we live and the motivation for how we live. Here’s the kicker...how does your life give evidence that you are “in Christ”?
-After reading verses 3-6, do you think you could write a song using these words? Paul wants the Ephesians and us to realize that God has blessed us. What does it mean to be “blessed”?
-Put on your thinking caps! Looking at your life, what aspect of it do you clearly identify as being blessings from God?
-Paul says we were chosen. Let’s dust off our swords...Romans 8:29-30...John 6:44...Matthew 11:28...1 Timothy 2:1-4...2 Peter 3:9...explain how we are chosen by God.
-If we are holy and blameless; does that mean we are without sin?
-How does it feel? Put it into words. Describe being God’s adopted child.
-As followers of Jesus, we have been redeemed! How do explain that to a lost friend?
-Have you ever taken the blame for something you did not do? What did that experience teach you about God’s love?
-Do you know more about God and understand His will better today than you did a year ago? Do you believe God expands your knowledge of His mysteries as you grow in Him? Do you share that enlightenment with anyone else?
-DANGEROUS QUESTION ALERT! Are you a Christian simply because you want to go to heaven? Read Psalm 51:12. Why should anyone follow Jesus?
-Paul talks about the Holy Spirit, how does he describe the Holy Spirit in relationship to our inheritance? How can the Holy Spirit be a down payment for our inheritance with God?
-As we close, is the joy of your salvation still boldly evident today as when you were first saved? Shall we pray for renewed joy? Shall we praise our loving father? Can we understand the blessings of our salvation to the utmost?