Part I – Life in the Church at Ephesus (Acts 18: 19-21; Acts 19:1-20)

1..        Paul’s second missionary journey occurred in Year 51. (See Acts 18:19-21)

Who travelled with Paul to Ephesus? P _ _ _ _ _ _ _  and A_ _ _ _ _ ?

How long did Paul stay on this first trip to Ephesus?

Did P _ _ _ _ _ _ _  and A_ _ _ _ _  leave with Paul?

Yes or no – did Paul promise to come back to Ephesus?

2.         We do not know much about what Priscilla and Aquila did for 4 years in Ephesus but we do know that they taught A _ _ _ _ _ _. What did they teach him? About J _ _ _ _ , his D _ _ _ _ on the C _ _ _ _ and the power of the H _ _ _ S _ _ _ _ _ (Acts 18:26

3.         In his 3^rd missionary journey Paul returned to Ephesus and stayed in from Year 55-57. When he first arrived in Ephesus he met some disciples (See Acts 19:2-7. 

a.         What did Paul ask them? 

b.         How did they answer? 

c.         When Paul hear their answer what did he do?

d.         How many disciples were present?

e.         What happened to them as Paul prayed over them?

4.         Paul spent 2 years teaching in the city. What were his main accomplishments?

a.         (19:11-12)

b.         (19:13- 18)

5.         When Paul was about to leave Ephesus for the last time what happened? (Acts 20:36)

They all P _ _ _ _ _. 

They all C _ _ _ _ or W _ _ _. 

They all E _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and they all K _ _ _ _ _ Paul.

Part II – The Mystery of Christ Revealed (Ephesians Chapter 3)

6.         Paul was called the Minister to the WHO? (Ephesians 3:1-3)

7.         What is the mystery of equality that was being revealed to Paul? 

Ephesians 1:7-9

Ephesians 2:11-22

Ephesians 3:4-6

9.         According to Paul, where can angels – in the heavenly realm – learning new things about God and his plan? (Ephesians 3:10-11)

10.       When Paul prayed for the Ephesians what were his 4 essential prayers?

            a.         To S _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ you by the P _ _ _ _ of the H_ _ _ S_ _ _ _ _ (v.16)

            b.         For C _ _ _ _ _ to D _ _ _ _ in your H _ _ _ _ _ (v.17)

c.         To comprehend the how W _ _ _ and L_ _ _ and H _ _ _ and D _ _ _ is the L _ _ _ of G_ _ (v.18)

d.         To Know the L _ _ _ of G _ _  surpasses K _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  (v.19A)

11.       When Paul prayed for the Ephesians what was his primary goal? 

That you may be F _ _ _ _ _ with the F _ _ _ _ _ _ of G _ _ (v.19B)

Part III – The Spirit of Christ Community

12.       Paul lived in Community. Of the people we know – only the ones listed in Scripture – they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they gave away what they had received in service to the Lord and the church.

These men and women were part of Paul’s Community:

Timothy – Perhaps Paul’s most trusted brother

Priscilla and Aquila – loved by Paul

Apollos – great evangelist

Luke the Evangelist – Paul called him, Our dear friend Luke, the doctor” (Col 4:10-11).  “Only Luke is with me” in Rome (2 Tim 4:11)

Persis – Paul said she worked hard for the Lord (Romans 16), 

Phoebe – She was trusted by Paul to deliver his letter to the Romans.

Gaius – travelled with Paul and Aristarchus (Acts 19:29) and others (Acts 20:4). 

Aristarchus of Thessalonica (Acts 19:29; 27:2) was called Paul’s fellow laborer and fellow Prisoner (Colossians 4:10 and Philemon 1:24)

Epaphras – a fellow servant” a co-worker with Paul (Colossians 1:7)

who was with him in Ephesus?

Onesimus – a slave to Philemon. Set free. 

Silas – accompanied Paul on his 1^st and 2^nd missionary journeys. “A faithful brother” (1 Peter 5:12). Was set free from prison with Paul in Philippi. Travelled also with Timothy.

Trophimus – with Paul on his 3rd missionary journey and with Paul in Jerusalem

Tychicus – accompanied Paul to Jerusalem. Likely with Paul in Rome. Built the Ephesus church. Paul called him “dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord” 

John Mark with Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journeys. Wrote the Gospel of Mark. He caused the division between Paul and Barnabus – that was later resolved

Barnabas – a beloved brother and fellow evangelist;

Sopater – disciple who travelled with Paul and others

Epaphroditus – delivered Paul’s letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians.  

AND, this does not include the Jerusalem church – with Peter, James, John and others

13.       Their covenant is similar to our covenant

A.        Be filled with the Holy Spirit; grow in the Spirit; pray unceasingly; use the gifts

B.        To live a Holy Life – putting off the old self and putting on the new self in Christ

C.        To spread the Gospel and build the Church

D.        In Summary, “That we might live for the praise of his glory” (Eph 1:12)

14.       Paul’s 4 point prayer for the Ephesians is our prayer too: 

            a.         That God would strengthen us all by the power of the Holy Spirit

            b.         That Jesus would dwell in our hearts

c.         That we would know how wide, long, high and deep is the Love of God

d.         To Know the love of God surpasses knowledge.

So that we might be filled with the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19). 

15.       Paul’s way of life (as described in Ephesians 4-6) is our way of life. 

Paul knew that God wanted a people he could call his own. 

He knew that the Holy Spirit was sent to help us live according to God’s will.

He understood the Lord’s call: to love one another as he loves us.

He cared for the poor. He took up collections for the poor

He accepted the call to go out and preach the Good News of Jesus

16.       We are a community of disciples on mission with other communities around the world. 

A community – brothers and sisters in relationship living a specific way

Of Disciples – Jesus is at the center of every area of our lives

On Mission – To share the love of God through evangelization and to people in need.

This is a glorious way to live – in a world that is increasingly independent and isolated

Why this way of life?

Recap of Ephesians 1

• It’s according to God’s good pleasure and purpose
  • Communities are a prophetic movement raised up by the Lord
  • treasure the Renewal, be a sign of Christian unity
• It’s a manifestation of his love and power through the BHS
• It’s all for the praise of his glory

Because we’ve been reconciled by the blood of Jesus

We have been reconciled in Christ (vertical and horizontal dimension)

• Christ has reconciled us to God through the new covenant in his blood

• In Christ, we’re also reconciled to one another – Paul talked about the dividing wall of hostility being demolished and 2 groups becoming one
  • Our covenant is a knitting together of our lives
  • Christine knits beautiful blankets – I can’t tell where one thread ends and another begins
    • a picture of married life/family life: it shouldn’t be obvious where one ends and the other begins.
    • Where does the thread of my life end and yours begin? It shouldn’t be as obvious as it usually is in our culture
  • When I sign the covenant, that signals an immersion in your lives
  • This presents a challenge for fallen people like us
    • We commit to not letting walls arise between us (whether of personal division and unforgiveness or the walls of a busy life)

• Because we want to serve the church

Jesus is the cornerstone of the church.

• We are not a church – we each belong to different churches.
• But, together, we want to join with the Lord in building his church.
  • Famous story about Francis trying to rebuild his local church building
    • Realized that God was calling him to renew the church – God’s people
    • How can we do that? 
      • Primarily by witnessing to the power of the Holy Spirit.
      • Serving in our churches however God calls us.
• By signing our covenant, you are committing to serve the Lord’s church

This is only the 2^nd chapter of Eph, but it helps answer the “why” question for us.

• “To what end does our covenant way of life lead?”
• It leads to the presence of God

Why this way of life?

Because God intends to dwell with his people. 

This is the great story of the Scriptures. It’s one our community’s favorite Psalm speaks about

Psalm 133

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹ How good and pleasant it is
    when God’s people live together in unity!

² It is like precious oil poured on the head,
    running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
    down on the collar of his robe.
³ It is as if the dew of Hermon
    were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
    even life forevermore.

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ …. In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace … ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood … in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure … to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

¹⁶ I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. ¹⁷ I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

Why this way of life? (Matt 26:8)

According to God’s good pleasure and purpose (v.5)

• His lavish love for us (8)
  • We have received God’s love through each other’s care
    • We’re also still learning to be God’s lavish love for one another
    • To be Jesus’ hands and feet for those of us in need
    • To be his mouthpiece when someone needs encouragement
    • It’s a high calling (we need to grow into it)
      • Not to be served, but to serve
    • Unifying all things in Christ (9)
      • Paul: Sent out to the Gentiles
      • Spirit of Christ: Sent out to be a sign of unity in Jesus’ body
        • That they may be one (John 17:21)
• Where else do Protestants and Catholics live the same covenanted way of life?

To Be a manifestation of God’s power (v.19)

• Baptism in the Spirit (via Charismatic Renewal) has changed our lives
  • That you may know his power
  • “Fan into flame the gift of God” (2 Tim 1:6)

All for the praise of his glory (v.14)

• “Lord, renew our calling”