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EPHESIANS - Be Filled With The Spirit
Meditations, Reflections, Prayer and Questions over the Epistel to the Ephesians
Part 4 - The end of the letter (Ephesians 6:21-24)Ephesians 6:21-24 After Paul had completed his faithful and courageous prayers, the introduction into his teaching of the faith, as well as his portrayal of the practical Christian lifestyle, he added an administrative instruction. In bringing his letter to the churches in Ephesus to a close, he also added a final summary. Tychicus, the writer of this letter, was the messenger of the apostle, and was also situated to give the churches a credible report over the background and the realities of Paul´s imprisonment. Therefore, Paul honoured his messenger, calling him a beloved brother. He was not just a true brother in the Holy Spirit and of the same Father in heaven; but furthermore, he was “beloved” through the love of God that has been poured out into the hearts of the born-again (Rom. 5:5). In spite of that, he also remained a servant of the apostle, who faithfully personified the meaning of this Semitic word in the Greek language. Accordingly, Tychicus was not just a brother in the Holy Spirit, but also a servant in the work together with Paul. Furthermore, he had been embodied in the spiritual body of Jesus Christ. Thus it becomes clear that the letter to the Ephesians was, fundamentally, a letter of Jesus Christ, who, as head of His spiritual body, had inspired two of His active members. Following these majestic attributes, Paul testified to the churches that they would be able to ask Tychicus about all the details of his imprisonment – as spiritual consolation in their macabre situation. They were, to be sure, active churches, on the basis of Paul´s two-and-a- half year missionary activity among them in the Roman province of Asia. Nevertheless, they stood in real danger of being persecuted and prohibited, in the event their founder should be condemned due to political accusations. Therefore, Tychicus was not only to comfort them factually, but was to also fill their hearts with the Spirit of comfort, who, even amidst extreme danger, gives eternal peace and calm. 6:23 “Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen” (Eph. 6:23-24). At the close Paul went about assuring the assailed churches with three great promises of the gospel: “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7; see also John 14:27; Rom. 5:1). The love of God remained firmly anchored in their hearts, for it had been given to them through the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5b; see also John 13:34-35; Gal. 5:22). True faith is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, which, however, needs to be continually exercised (Rom. 1:17). These three life-giving forms of the Spirit of Truth do not, however, arise because of church activity, but rather, they come to faithful believers directly from the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. Thus Paul, again at the end of his letter, testified to the Holy Trinity as the cause and source of our salvation. Who is it that thanks Him, therefore? Just as the missionary to the nations began his letter with the apostolic blessing, so he now closed it with the word grace! Everything that comes to us from the triune-God is undeserved grace. It is not our diligence, our activity or any other “good work” that brings to us the blessing of grace, but alone the pleasure of God. This, however, is bound to the Lord Jesus Christ, for without Him there is no grace. Our judicial justification and the conveying of the power of God do not come to us directly from the Father, but from the Son alone, to whom all power and authority in heaven and on earth has been given. Do we truly love Jesus? If so, how is it noticed? The one who loves Jesus receives a portion of His immortality, His eternal life and His humility. Prayer: Father in heaven, we worship You through Your Son Jesus Christ, for You are our Father, and He is our merciful Lord and Savior. We thank You for Your peace, Your love, the true faith of the Holy Spirit and Your saving and comforting grace. Help us to remain in Jesus Christ, so that our lives might offer an outpouring of worship to You for Your marvellous grace. Amen. Question:
Test three: Test your knowledge following these meditations over the letter to the Ephesians by answering the following questions: 1. What is the mystery of the Holy Trinity according to the letter to the Ephesians? 2. How can we effectively practice humility, meekness and patience? 3. Which gifts and offices are cultivated and cherished in our churches and which are not? 4. How can the fullness of Christ enliven, build up and unite our churches? 5. What are the five great world views or Weltanschaung that lead astray people today? 6. How can we learn to speak the truth in love? 7. What seems strange to you in the evaluation of public life in Ephesus? What is different in the place where you live? 8. Why did Paul demand an entirely different way of life for all church members? 9. Which model for life does the new Christian culture follow? 10. How can a person practically put on Jesus and live as He lived and loved? 11. How can we always tell the truth and avoid every lie? 12. Why do we not gladly bring back foreign property to its rightful owner? 13. What grieves the Holy Spirit? What is the Holy Spirit doing in you? 14. Why are we to always forgive and forget what every other person has done to us? 15. How is it possible for a person to imitate God? 16. What does the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus Christ mean to you? 17. Why should we, openly and wisely, speak with our children about the merciful gift of our sexual drive? 18. Why can the kingdom of God endure no empty chatter or dirty jokes? 19. Who does the gospel describe as the “light of the world”? Why? 20. How can we prove and warn other people, as well as form an opinion of them, without incurring guilt? 21. How can we fill up the evil days we are living in with a correct view to eternity? 22. Why do we have the privilege to ask God for the filling with His Holy Spirit? 23. Why do we not want to mutually submit to one another? 24. What mandate in particular do we need to regard in our marriages? 25. What does it mean for husbands to offer themselves up for their wives, just as Jesus offered Himself up for His church? 26. Why should we be thankful for our sexual capacity? 27. Why has raising children become so difficult in our day and age? 28. What are some good ways in which to lead children and youth to Jesus? 29. What do you think about the pastoral council of Paul to the slaves and servants in the Mediterranean region of his day? 30. What do the words of the apostle mean for employers today? 31. How can we become strong in the power of the Lord? 32. As Christians, why do we not need to fear all the devils and demons of this world? 33. Which of the seven spiritual weapons do you need the most urgently? 34. What is the mystery and the goal of the armor of God? 35. What is it that came to you mind in this personal request of Paul? 36. Which verse of the letter to the Ephesians helped you the most? Whoever can answer 28 of the above listed questions correctly will receive, free of charge, another one of our books designed for your spiritual reinforcement and encouragement. For those in Europe the following addresses should be used: EUSEBIA – Missionsdienste, Postfach 15 01 03, D-70 075 Stuttgart Germany Waters of Life, Postfach 60 05 13, D-70 305 Stuttgart Germany Our book offers I - Meditation and prayers Be filled with the Spirit! (The epistle of the Apostle Paul to the churches in and around Ephesus). Christ in you – the Hope of Glory (The epistle of the Apostle Paul to the church in Colosse) The Revelation of Jesus Christ to the Apostle John Volume 1: Behold, I come quickly! (ch. 1:1 – 3:22) (Jesus Christ prepares His church for His coming) Volume 2: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain (ch. 4:1 – 6:17) - The enthronization of Christ following His ascent to heaven) Volume 3: You will Complete Your Glorious Work (ch. 7:1 – 9:21) - Those called out of Israel and the nations and the trumpet judgments Volume 4: Your Kingdom Come (ch. 10:1 – 12:17) (The two witness of the end time and the casting out of Satan from heaven) Volume 5: The Antichrist and the Lamb of God (ch. 12:18 – 16:22) - Christ amidst His Martyrs and the Seven Bowls of Wrath Volume 6: The Whore of Babylon and the Worship of God (ch. 17:1 – 19:10) - The end of the Great Deceiver and the Preparations for the Marriage of the Lamb Volume 7: Even so, I come quickly! (ch. 19:11-22:21) (The Triumphant Christ at His Return and the Breaking in of the New World) II - Biblical Themes Do we know the Holy Spirit? (335 of the 451 Biblical verses on the Holy Spirit are discussed with short explanations) The above books can be ordered from: Eusebia – Missionsdienste, Postfach 15 01 03, D-70075 Stuttgart Germany Or Waters of life, Postfach 60 05 13, D-70305 Stuttgart Germany (back cover) The epistle of the Apostle Paul to the churches in and around Ephesus, the capital city of the then Roman province of “Asia”, speaks to us, even today, as one of the most authoritative letters of the apostle. His desire was to unite the house-church assemblies composed of two fundamentally different groups - Jewish Christians, on the one hand, and newly won Hellenic believers, on the other. This union came about through the apostle´s Christ-centered depiction of their common faith, encompassed in the ethics of the glorious Lord Jesus Christ. At the time of writing, Paul most likely sat under house arrest in Rome, so that the only alternative left to him to encourage, build-up and strengthen these young churches was through his prayers, letters and faith. The composer of these meditations and prayers lived for more than 30 years in the eastern region of the Mediterranean Sea, in which time he attempted to unite the conflicting understanding of Semitic thinking and the mindset prevalent in Occidental church assemblies and Bible schools. His book can help Israelis and Arabs, on the one hand, and Europeans and Americans, on the other hand, to better understand and recognize how they can unite together under the reality of the triune God. In the final sense our common Christian faith, along with it´s ethics, arose in the power and glory of the risen Christ – amidst the tension-ridden background of both these cultures. |