Bible ReadingEphesians 1:1–141. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:
[11:04]2. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
[11:39]3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
[12:24]4. even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
[13:01]5. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
[21:22]6. to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
7. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
[24:33]8. which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight
9. making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ
10. as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
[30:23]12. so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
13. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
[34:09]14. who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Acts 19:23–4123. About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen.
[27:49]24. These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.
25. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods.
26. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”
27. When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
28. So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel.
29. But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him.
30. And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater.
31. Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.
32. Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd.
33. But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
[29:02]34. And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?
35. Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.
36. For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess.
37. If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another.
38. But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.
39. For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.”
40. And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
Romans 5:88. But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
[34:50]Observation questions- What names and descriptions does Paul use for believers in Ephesians 1:1–14, and what has God done for them?
- In Ephesians 1:3–14, how often does Paul use the phrase “in Christ” or “in him”? What does that repetition show about where a believer’s identity is found? [25:42]
- What comes first in Paul’s greeting: grace or peace? How does the order of those words shape the message of verses 1–2? [11:39]
- According to Acts 19:23–41, what seems to be driving the uproar in Ephesus, and what words describe the condition of the crowd? [29:47]
Interpretation questions- Paul says that God chose His people “that we should be holy and blameless before him.” How is that different from saying God chose people because they were already holy and blameless? [14:23]
- What does adoption add to the way believers understand salvation? Why is it important that God does not merely forgive sinners but brings them fully into His family? [23:41]
- Ephesians 1 says believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit, who guarantees their inheritance. How can this truth give confidence to a Christian who feels uncertain about his or her worth, purpose, or standing with God? [33:41]
- The Ephesian crowd was deeply attached to Artemis because their worship, culture, and income were tied to her. What might it look like when the gospel challenges things people depend on for identity, security, or profit today? [28:18]
Application questions- When someone asks, “Who are you?”, what answer tends to come first: a job, family role, relationship status, achievement, struggle, hobby, or something else? What would change if being “in Christ” became the first and deepest answer? [04:52]
- Where has the search for peace become an attempt to manage guilt, control circumstances, please people, or prove worth? What would it look like to receive God’s grace first in that specific area? [12:02]
- Shame often tells people that their past failure is the truest thing about them. Is there a regret, sin, or painful label that needs to be brought under the truth of redemption and forgiveness through Christ? [25:53]
- God’s adoption means His children are not merely tolerated but wanted and welcomed. When is it hardest to believe that God wants a relationship with you, and what part of Ephesians 1 speaks into that struggle? [24:20]
- A secure identity in Christ pushes back against both insecurity and pride. Which struggle shows up more often in your life—worrying too much about others’ approval or taking too much credit for good things? What is one practical way to turn attention back to Christ this week? [20:28]
- Believers have been given every spiritual blessing needed to reflect God’s glory where they live now. What is one place this week—home, work, school, neighborhood, or church—where you could more clearly live as someone who belongs to Jesus? [12:39]
- The gospel may bring opposition, confusion, or new openness to Jesus. Is there someone in your life who seems confused about worth or purpose? What would a loving, simple conversation about Jesus and their God-given value look like? [36:12]
