Coming out of Sunday’s teaching, “Ephesians: Spiritual Blessings” spend some time in prayerful reflection and dialogue with your Home Church/Friends/Family around any combination of these questions:
Read Ephesians 1:1-14 before starting. Pray and ask God to speak.
- How did God speak to you through the text and/or Sunday’s message? What jumped out to you? Why?
- What is the difference between “spiritual blessings” (V3) and “material blessings?” Why is it that we seem to talk and think so much more about “material blessings” than we do about “spiritual blessings”?
- One of the “spiritual blessings” Paul talks about in this passage is a “New Identity” (see V4-6). What is so significant about what he says in these three verses? What makes knowing our identity in Christ so critical? What can happen when we forget our identity in Christ? What are some competing identities that we sometimes look to for an ultimate sense of self-worth and meaning? What can be done about that?
- Another “spiritual blessing” Paul talks about is “Redemption: Freedom from Sin” (see V7-9). What is so significant about what he says in these three verses? What does it mean to you for that God “purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins”?
- The last “spiritual blessing” Paul talks about in this passage is being “Marked as His Own” (see V13-14). What is so significant about what he says in these two verses? What does it mean to be “marked” or “sealed” or “identified as his own”? What/Who has God given us to identify us in this way? What is so significant about that?
- Which of these three “spiritual blessings” do you most need to receive from God (or remember more fully) this week? Why? What might your life look like if you lived into that ‘blessing’ more fully this week?
