The conclusion of the Ephesians’ series focuses on spiritual warfare and how to combat the evil we are faced with. As we put on the whole armor of God, we can stand against the wiles of the devil.

2 Corinthians 4:4   Spiritual warfare

Matthew 13:19 – The wicked one; Mark 4:15 – Satan; Luke 8:12 – The devil

1 Peter 5:8 – Adversary; 1 Thessalonians 3:4 – Tempter; Revelation 12:10 – Accuser

Ephesians 2:1-3   Three fronts 1. The world, 2. Demons, 3. Lust of our flesh   Air is unseen by influential

Ephesians 6:11-13   Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. He functions undercover, cleverly camouflaged in secrecy.

People end up as puppets

Ephesians 1:18-23   Jesus already won the battle.

14 – 4:17-23   This is now your lie; 1:1-14 your truth now

14 – 4:21-24   Righteousness is the new you. Live right,

15 – Peace 1:2; 6:23; 2:14-17; 4:3

16 – Faith 2:8-9; 3:12, 17 – Faith is a full realization of your own inability and absolute confidence in God’s ability.

17 – Helmet of salvation – 1:13 -14, 2:7, 3: 9-11

17 – The sword of the spirit; the Word of God

18 – Pray – Matthew 6:9-13: 1:15-23; 3:14-21

How should you carry yourself at home and at work? In Ephesians 6:1-9, we learn that parents should actively teach their children obedience and honor, guiding them with love and fairness rather than harshness, to foster healthy development. We also learn that we should work heartily unto the Lord rather than for people.

Ephesians 6:1 Parents must teach their children to obey. Left to their own devices, kids will assert their own little wills over everyone else, resulting in chaos and dysfunction. They will not learn obedience or boundaries unless loving adults help them and hold them accountable.

Ephesians 6:2-3 Honoring your parents is also important to teach to children, though this command continues through adulthood. Although it’s common today to “go no-contact” with one’s parents, such dishonoring behavior is out of place for Christians except for extreme cases.

Ephesians 6:4 It’s important that parents (especially fathers) don’t hold children to an impossible standard, discipline in an excessively harsh manner, or frustrate children in other ways. Rather, parents should help children to develop resilience, control their emotions, and avoid prideful tribalism as they train them and instruct them in the ways of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:5-8 Slavery was regrettable, though an accepted reality for most of human history. Christianity spread like wildfire among slaves in the Roman Empire. Paul explains how Christian slaves should handle themselves at work.

Ephesians 6:9 Although we wish Paul had told masters to free their slaves, instead he told them to give up threatening them. In other places we know that Paul was in favor of liberation (1 Cor 7:21-23; Gal 3:27-28; Phlm 15-17). The seeds of abolitionism were present in the Bible, but it took time for them to grow into maturity.

Ephesians 5:22-24 Not everyone should get married. If you prize your freedom and want independence, stay single for Christ (1 Cor 7:32-35). However, if a woman wants to have a biblical marriage, she should recognize her husband’s headship (Col 3:18-19; Titus 2:3-5; 1 Pet 3:1-2). She should model the Church in relation to Christ. Of course, a wife can and should break submission if her husband asks her to sin, is mentally unwell (including substance addiction), or is physically abusive. Each situation warrants its own wisdom. The pastors and elders are here to help you through such hard situations (email: [email protected]).

Ephesians 5:25-27 As the wives are to submit, the husbands are to love self-sacrificially. He should model Christ in relation to the Church. When Paul wrote Ephesians, such a standard would have sounded radical. Other authors from the period like Josephus, Philo, and Plutarch mention the wife’s submission, but never the husband’s requirement to love, much less love like Christ!

Ephesians 5:28-30 Husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. Cherish her, protect her, provide for her, and attend to her needs.

Ephesians 5:31 The standard for marriage goes back to the Garden of Eden before sin ever entered the picture. The beautiful complementarity and mutuality God designed finds its fullest expression in the physical intimacy enjoyed by a husband and wife in a committed marriage (1 Cor 7:1-5).

Ephesians 5:32-33 Christian marriage is a symbol, pointing to Christ’s relationship with the Church. Christian marriages have an incredible opportunity to testify before a watching world.

Ephesians 5:3-21

Paul warns Christians of behaviors.

Not a hint of sexual immorality

Matthew 5:32

1 Corinthians 5:1

Evil behaviors have bad consequences.

God’s way is better.

Living together/playing house

Marriage is God’s perfect answer to sexual sin. The good news about marriage is God calls us to cleanness. Romans 1:24; Matthew 23:27-28

Greed isn’t the way. Jeremiah 22:17

Vulgar speech is prohibited. Divisive and foolish talk should be removed. Titus 3:8- 11 Coarse jesting is wrong. Awake, Oh Sleeper!

What will you choose?

You can be wise and ready or foolish and unprepared.

Put Off the Old Self (Eph 4:17-19)

Paul warns believers not to live like the Gentiles, whose thinking is futile and whose hearts are hardened. Their lifestyle is marked by having a darkened understanding, ignorance, insensitivity, and moral corruption that is driven by selfish desires.

Be Renewed and Put on the New Self (Eph 4:20-24)

Paul claims that the old way of life is not how believers have learned Christ. Rather believers are to:

Practical Instructions for New Life (Eph 4:25-32)

Paul lists specific ways to live out this new self:

Imitate God and Walk in Love (Eph 5:1-2)

Believers are called to be imitators of God as His children. We should walk in love, following the example of Christ, who gave himself as a sacrificial offering for us.

Ephesians 4:1-3 Here we find five important behaviors that all Christians should cultivate in their lives: humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, and seeking unity. Each of these takes intentionality and sustained effort. Unity, in particular, requires serious effort. In fact, Jesus himself prayed for our unity (John 17:20-23).

Ephesians 4:4-6 The basis of our unity is what we hold in common with each other: one body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God over all. The Moravian motto said it well: “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things love.”

Ephesians 4:7-10 When he died and was buried, Jesus descended into the grave. When God raised him from the dead and brought him up to heaven, he ascended. His death, resurrection, and ascension together defeated spiritual evil in high places with the result that he led captivity captive. Additionally, his victory brought into reality new structures both in heaven

Ephesians 4:11-13 The various positions in the local church exist to equip the saints for the work of ministry with the goal of developing maturity in individuals and as a group. Christ is our forerunner and prototype. We want to grow into his full stature over time.

Ephesians 4:14-16 As you develop in your faith, you should not be easily deceived by the many winds of doctrine blowing in our time, especially through social media. Rather, the goal is to grow and mature such that we not only remain connected to the body but also build it up in love.

The Apostle Paul prays for Christians to be strengthened that Christ may dwell in their hearts with the result that they may be rooted and grounded in love. He prays that they would be able to comprehend Christ’s love so that they may be filled with all God’s fullness. Thus, as we continue pursuing love, we understand not only what has already been done for us, but we also show to others that love which is paramount in the life of the Christian.

Ephesians 3:14-15 To name is to exert power over, often as the creator. The Father is the supreme source of everyone on earth as well as the spiritual powers in heaven. It’s always helpful to remember to whom you’re praying at the start of your prayer.

Ephesians 3:16-17 Here God’s spirit strengthens so Christ can dwell in our hearts with the result that we become rooted and grounded in love. God’s love shown through Christ is the most powerful redeeming force in the universe, capable of turning enemies into family (John 3:16; Rom 5:6-8). As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Love is the absolute power” (Love Your Enemies Sermon, March 7, 1961, Detroit, MI).

Ephesians 3:18-19 Paul prays that Christians would be able to grasp a truth so deep and profound that it surpasses knowledge—the love of Christ. Loving others when they’ve given you reason to hate them doesn’t make sense, but it follows Christ’s example and can result in total transformation. When we finally experientially know the love of Christ, we can be filled

Ephesians 3:20-21 God is capable of doing so much more than we can ask or even imagine. He is worthy of our devotion and dedication. In fact, our lives are to bring Him glory, not only individually, but also as a group. Is your life bringing glory to God?

The great mystery was hidden throughout the ages until revealed to the Apostle Paul. If it was known, the evil rulers

Ephesians 3:1-9. What Christ accomplished for humanity was kept secret until Paul received it by revelation.

Luke 9:44-45. God wanted the information concealed.

Luke 18:31-34. Many things are written in the OT foretelling what Jesus would do and accomplish; however, much of it was hidden until Paul.

Mark 8:31-33. Not only did Peter not understand what Jesus said, he also thought he was wrong.

1 Corinthians 2: 6-8. Had they understood, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Ephesians 3:2. The word “stewardship” and “administration” in verse 9 are the same Greek word oikonomia.

3:4-5. Before, no one understood; now, we can understand.

1 Corinthians 2:6-16.

Ephesians 3:6. Gentiles were now fellow heirs, members, partakers of the promise.

Ephesians 2:12-22.

3:8. The riches are so deep, vast, and profound they can never be fully discovered until Christ returns. They are infinitely rich and abundant.

Colossians 1:27. Christ in you

Ephesians 3:10. Rulers and the authorities – 1:19-21; 6:12

3:11. The mystery explains God’s purpose of the ages.

3:12. Only the high priest once a year had access to God. Now every disciple has direct, bold, and confident access to God.

3:13. Do not be discouraged I am in prison; rather, accept it is actually a glorious thing

Ephesians 2:11-12. Before Christ, the nations were hopeless because they had no Messiah and no real, solid hope for the future. Because of this, sin reigned and darkness increased in these nations. We too were lost. Those who had no Jewish

Ephesians 2:13-14a. Christ has brought us near to God. He is our peace and the source of our hope.

Ephesians 2:14b-16. Christ has made something entirely different out of the two groups. He did this through his death on the cross. His body dying gave life to us gentiles and Jews in God. He destroyed the hostility between the two groups. He did

Ephesians 2:17-18. Jesus preached to Jews and gentiles alike while he was on the earth but integrally after he left through his followers. He gave access to God to all who believe both Jews and gentiles.

Ephesians 2:19-21. Gentiles are fellow partakers of the promises of God. This was something planned long ago and was built upon the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone.

Ephesians 2:21-22. In Christ, we are the new temple of God. We are being built into something new, God’s new temple on earth. God dwells in human hearts, especially when we gather together in the name of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:1-10 is a master text for understanding our need for salvation, God’s gracious offer of salvation, and how to live out our salvation in deed and truth. Living out of a grace narrative rather than a moral performance narrative makes it possible to avoid religious judgmentalism and persevere with joy.

Ephesians 2:1-3. Paul’s description of humanity is startling and offensive but true. A quick glance at the last two weeks in the news easily confirms that we are broken. There’s something wrong with us. By nature, we follow the ruler of the power of the air, living according to the passions of our flesh. We murder, rape, assault, steal, lie, and deceive each other. The Bible’s diagnosis is that we are already dead. Our trespasses and sins have killed us. We who are spiritually dead cannot save ourselves.

Ephesians 2:4-7. Because of his mercy and love, God makes the first move. Astoundingly, he looks at fallen humanity, mired in selfishness, despicable in character, hopelessly dysfunctional—he looks and says, “I want you!” By bringing us back to life in union with Christ and seating us in the heavenly places, he has saved us and given us a bright hope (Titus 3:3-7). If you have not yet believed in the gospel, today is the day. Don’t say no to God’s invitation to salvation!

Ephesians 2:8-10. Salvation is God’s free gift to you. He reaches down in grace, but you must reach up in faith. When you do, he pulls you out of the quicksand of sin and sets you on solid ground. Remembering who you were before Christ and how God saved you makes it possible to live out of a grace narrative rather than a moral performance narrative. God has prepared work for you to do. Are you doing it? If not, go to him in prayer and ask him to reveal what work he has for you to do