Week of Feb. 5-11, 2012

Ephesians One

 

Discussion Questions:

1. Paul begins verse three by telling the believers in Ephesus to “Give praise to the god and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”   Why do you believe Paul started off this way?

 

2. Have one person read the following list of God’s blessing over the group:  I am blessed, chosen, holy, blameless, loved, adopted, forgiven, wise, marked, sealed, saved and free.  

 

Which word in that sentence impacts you the most and why?

 

3. What do you think about the following statement?  I’m not waiting for God to bless me because He already has.

 

4. Have you ever felt like your failure has been bigger than your Savior?  Explain.

 

5. Have someone read the following scripture to the group:  Ephesians 1:14

The seal is the Holy Spirit that he promised. The Spirit marks us as God’s own. We can now be sure that someday we will receive all that God has promised. That will happen after God sets all of his people completely free.

      The Holy Spirit gives us the assurance that we are:

· Secure – God doesn’t break His promise just as a seal shouldn’t be broken before the right person receives it.

· Approved – A seal was used only after the owner had verified the information within the letter or document as acceptable to him.  God puts His seal of the holy Spirit on each Christian because he or she is deemed “approved” and “acceptable” because his or her sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus.

· Genuine – A monogram tool’s design was unique, owned by a single individual, and impossible to be reproduced by another.  In the same way, the holy Spirit is unique and makes His genuine mark on us that can’t be imitated by another.

 

If you have received the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit.  Does this truth increase your confidence to follow God at a higher level?  Does this truth encourage you in other ways?

 

Moving Forward

What could you do this week to thank God for all your blessings? 

 

Changing Your Mind

Ephesians 1:13-14a You also became believers in Christ. That happened when you heard the message of truth. It was the good news about how you could be saved. When you believed, he marked you with a seal. The seal is the Holy Spirit that he promised. The Spirit marks us as God’s own.