Sabbath: Ephesians in the Heart
Image © Pacific Press
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Ephesians 1:1-6:24 .
Memory Text: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10, NKJV).
Visitors to London climb on board the London Eye, a Ferris-Wheel-like attraction. From 450 feet above the River Thames you can see it all: Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and the many historic palaces and cathedrals. For New Testament scholar Nicholas Thomas “Tom” Wright, “the letter to the Ephesians stands in relation to the rest of Paul’s letters rather like the London Eye. It isn’t the longest or fullest of his writings, but it offers a breathtaking view of the entire landscape. From here, as the wheel turns, you get a bird’s-eye view of one theme after another.” — Paul for Everyone: The Prison Letters (London: S.P.C.K. [Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge Publishing], 2004), p. 3.
In Ephesians, Paul is not focused on issues of local concern. The letter reads as though Paul were addressing believers everywhere and Christian churches wherever they exist. The letter’s timeless feel allows the “breathtaking view” Paul offers to invade our own world and thought. As we review each chapter, let’s keep this question in mind: What important truths embedded in Ephesians should continue to shape our lives as believers?
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 30.
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I have visited London only once. It was 1992, and Carmel and I did the big European trip. I can still remember flying into London from Amsterdam. We were put into a holding pattern in clouds over the English Channel for a long time until we finally were given the all-clear to land at Heathrow. We came down out of the clouds and suddenly there was London spread out below us. The Thames River, the Tower Bridge, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and all the other sites of London drifted past our window in quick succession. It was so exciting to actually see London for the very first time. We had read and seen films about London but this was the real thing.
Our study of Ephesians has been a bit like coming down out of the clouds and seeing the Gospel with great clarity for the first time. I can understand how Luther must have felt coming out of the darkness of the middle ages and reading the Gospel message:
The clouds have rolled back; the darkness lifted; the lights have turmed on; the Gospel message is seen clearly. The Gospel really is good news.
My August bird photographs are available now. Just in time for Sabbath viewing for some of you. Enjoy:
Maurice's August bird photographs
Thank you Maurice for capturing the beauty of your birds, and for sharing them. You are truly blessed to live in a place that has such a variety of birds. Here on the Arizona desert we have been short changed on avian variety. Do you have Road Runners in Australia?
Thank you Leilani. No we don't have road-runners as such in Australia, but we do have plenty of birds that run on roads. Ssome are successful and never seem to get run over. Others, you see more dead ones than live ones - they simply have not learned how dangerous roads are.
Awesome photography. How beautiful heaven will be
Thank you Maurice for helping us to behold some of the glory of God’s creation!
Thanks for sharing the beautiful collection of birds!
The whole paradigm of life shifts when man believes that he has a Creator he considers to be his highest authority in all matters pertaining to life. Because we believe to be ‘His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, we are designated to be our heavenly Father’s children through faith.
Eph.1:1-14 – v.3 - “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, .. “ Should a believer want to start a conversation with someone interested to learn about the Christian faith, the book of Ephesians is a good start to lay a solid foundation.
Paul ends his letter to the Ephesians with the prayer: ”Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen” Paul speaks to us as he did to the believers of his time. We studied about God’s armor given to all who believe, we learned through his writings that our ‘Redemption’ is found in Christ’, but we stand strong only through our sincere faith.
All the learning will be for not if we do not sincerely love our heavenly Father, who is also the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, with all our whole being - heart and mind, and testify to this love of our Redeemer through the way we live and interact with our fellow man.
London Eye, that's what the author has compared Ephesians to — an extended overview of the Christian paradigm. It is essential to have different perspectives on things. I deal with the microscopic world, and everything can be so different because of a change of lenses. The more diverse perspectives are seen on a single thing, the deeper the knowledge of the subject's characteristics. Again, LIFE IS A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE! What view do you and I have today on the Love of God? Get closer or go farther: His Love will always look more and more PERFECT!
Thanks Maurice for taking us on a virtual bird watching trip. It was wonderful.