Original date of recording: February 11, 2024.

Original date of recording: October 11, 2023.

Main Takeaway: Oftentimes, people who are the most outwardly religious are the quickest to judge the sins of others while ignoring the sins in their own life. Paul emphatically condemns this self-righteous judgement and reminds us that God cares more about the condition of our heart than our outward appearances.

Reflection Questions
1. Are you often more critical of others than yourself? Is there someone in your life toward whom you are especially judgmental? Why do you think you are particularly hard on them?

2. Can you think of someone who does not just hear the Gospel, but who lives differently because of it? What might it look like to be a "doer" and not just a "hearer" of the good news?

3. Are you often concerned with how other people think of you? Do you try to do things so that God will view you more favorably? What does it mean that God cares more about the posture of your heart than your outward religiosity?

Questions for Parents
1. As a family, how do you talk about each other or people outside the family? Are you often judging or making fun of others?

2. As a family, are you hearers of the Word together? If not, what steps can you take to read God's Word together? If so, how can you become not just hearers, but also transformed doers together?

3. Spend some time together in prayer. What might it look like for God to "circumcise your heart?" Are you more concerned with outward appearances, or with your heart for God?

Main Takeaway: In Christ, God's love for us is incorruptible and, because of Christ, our love is incorruptible.

Reflection Questions

1)  In what ways do I still act as if my love for God is based on my own efforts or performance?
2)  How can I better love and encourage other Christians with the love God has shown me?
3)  What is God calling me to do with what I have learned from studying Ephesians? If you are uncertain still, spend time now praying for God to show you.

Questions for Parents

1)  What does incorruptible love actually mean? How does this encourage you in your relationship with God and His people?
2)  What would it look like for you to give your whole life away to the people God has put in our lives, such as your peers, team, friends, family, etc.?
3)  What has challenged you the most during your study of the letter to the Ephesians? What is your biggest takeaway?

Main takeaway: First, as Christians, we are in a battle, but our enemy is not who we think. We do not fight a physical battle, but a spiritual one. Second, by God's grace, He has given us all the armor we need for this battle, but we must chose to take it up and put it on. Finally, we are called to fight the battle on our knees in prayer.

Reflection Questions

1) In what situations do you most often find yourself relying on your own strength? What makes you doubt the Lord's power in those times?

2) How does it make you feel that you have been equipped in the ways mentioned in this passage? Give thanks to God for the ways He is equipping you for the battle.

3) Who are other Christians who you can commit to regularly pray for as they face the battle? Who can you ask to commit to pray for you?

Questions for Parents

1)  In what areas of your life do you find yourself more tempted to rely on your own strength and not the Lord's strength?
2)  In what ways does the armor of God provide protection for you? What does it look like for you to choose to put on the breastplate of righteousness and the helmet of salvation daily?
3)  Who could you commit to pray for daily as they face this battle? Take time now to pray over your student toward the battle they face.

Main takeaway: The gospel changes everything about the life of the believer. No longer do we walk as unwise, but through being filled with the Spirit, we have new fellowship and transformed relationships.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1)  Are there any relationships in your life that are not informed by your relationship with Christ? What do you need to do to transform those relationships to keep Christ at the center? Who is someone you can invite to support and encourage you as you do this?

2)  Knowing the high purpose God has placed on marriage, how does this change the way you pray for married couples or how you view your own future marriage?

3)  Were any commands listed in this passage hard or challenging for you? Why do you think that is? Talk to Jesus about why they were hard and listen for what He has to say to you.

QUESTIONS FOR PARENTS

1)  How did understanding the Spirit's role in empowering believers to live transformed lives/relationships help to encourage you as you read all the commands in this passage?

2)  How does the gospel change the way we live in relationship with others?

3)  How does seeing Jesus as our true husband, father and master change the way we view our earthy husbands, fathers and leaders?

A Command for Christian Consistency

1. Stay Awake

2. Stay Sober

3. Stay Thankful

4. Stay Submitting