1. A Study in Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians
Friends & Fellowship Community Group
McLean Bible Church

2. Study Overview Session Date Session Title Applicable Verses 1
05/14/2017
The Road to Salvation
God Did All the Hard Work
Our Part is Easy
Ephesians 1:3 – 12; Romans 8:28 – 30
Eph. 1:13 – 14; John 11:25 – 26; Romans 10:8 – 13; 1 Cor. 12:3 2
05/21/2017
Our Identity in Christ
Ephesians 2 & 3; 1 Peter 3
05/28/2017
Discipleship Empowered by the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 4; 1 Corinthians 12 4
06/05/2017
Disciple's Walk with Christ
Ephesians 5:1 – 6:9 5
06/11/2017
Disciple's Place in God's Army
Ephesians 6:10 – 18; Job 1 & 2; Joshua 5:13 – 6:5; Revelation 19:11 – 21 6
06/18/2017
The Rise and Fall of the Church in Ephesus: A Warning to Make Disciples
Acts 18:18 – 19:41; Ephesians 1:15 ; Revelation 2:1 – 7

3. Session 4: Disciple's Walk with Christ
(Continued)

4. Disciple as Helpmate of Christ
Emulating Christ's Love
Reading: Ephesians 5:22 – 33
Christ's unconditional love for His Wife
Focus is Christ's love for His wife, the church
The disciple's love for the church should be as Christ's love
As part of the church we show love of the Husband by being obedient to Him.
Discussion (5 min.)
What responsibilities do disciples have by being part of the wife of Christ, the Church?
As disciples of Christ, how do we emulate the Husband with respect to the church?

5. Disciple as Helpmate of Christ
Emulating Christ's Love
Reading: Ephesians 5:22 – 33
Christ's unconditional love for His Wife
Focus is Christ's love for His wife, the church
The disciple's love for the church should be as Christ's love
As part of the church we show love of the Husband by being obedient to Him.
Discussion (5 min.)
What responsibilities do disciples have by being part of the wife of Christ, the Church?
Show through our life and our words what submission to Christ means
As disciples of Christ, how do we emulate the Husband with respect to the church?
Love the church as Christ love the church
Help sanctify and cleanse the church with the word

6. Disciple as Helpmate of Christ
Being Christ's Helpmate
Reading:
Genesis 2:18
Genesis 2:21 – 24
Discussion (5 min.)
What is the significance of God taking a rib bone to form woman (՚ishshah)?
Why did God form woman?
What “responsibilities” do we, as disciples, derive from the passage?

7. Disciple as Helpmate of Christ
Being Christ's Helpmate
Reading:
Genesis 2:18
Genesis 2:21 – 24
Discussion (5 min.)
What is the significance of God taking a rib bone to form woman (՚ishshah)?
Woman is also the created image of God
Woman is a partner with man ('yish)
Why didn't God take dirt and form woman in the same way He had formed man?
God only needed one image of Himself
Why did God form woman? To be a partner helper, a helpmate
What “responsibilities” do we, as disciples, derive from the passage?

8. Disciples in the Family of God
Disciples as both children and parents
Reading: Ephesians 6:1 – 4
Discussion (5 min.)
In what way are disciples as children?
Who are the parents?
In what way are disciples as fathers?
What guidance does Paul provide for disciples to be like fathers?

9. Disciples in the Family of God
Disciples as both children and parents
Reading: Ephesians 6:1 – 4
Discussion (5 min.)
In what way are disciples as children?
We are under the authority of God.
Who are the parents?
Father – God
Mother – church
In what way are disciples as fathers?
We have the responsibility of training others
We have the responsibility of admonition those that stray
What guidance does Paul provide for disciples to be like fathers?
Don't provoke our “children” to wrath

10. Disciples in the Service of Jesus
Disciples as Slaves and Masters
Reading: Ephesians 6:5 – 9
Discussion (5 min.)
What traits should disciples learn from slaves and develop? 1 2 3 4 5 6
As disciples, how are we like “masters” or “lords”?
How does Jesus expect His disciples to act in a leadership position?

11. Disciples in the Service of Jesus
Disciples as Slaves and Masters
Reading: Ephesians 6:5 – 9
Discussion (5 min.)
What traits should disciples learn from slaves and develop?
1 Be obedient to our leaders
2 Obey with sincerity of heart
3 Do the will of God from the heart
4 Serve with goodwill
5 Serve for the Lord
6 Don't serve for the praise of others
As disciples, how are we like “masters” or “lords”?
We have the responsibility to lead others
How does Jesus expect His disciples to act in a leadership position?
We should emulate our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ

12. Conclusion Disciple's Walk Disciple's Nature
Walk with God's unconditional love for others
Walk in the light of Jesus Christ
Walk in wisdom, not just knowledge.
Disciple's Nature
Emulate Jesus' love for His, wife the church
Be Jesus' Helpmate
Show the positive attributes of being both an obedient child and a caring father.
Show the positive traits of being both a slave in Christ and a lord under the Lord.

13. Session 5: Disciple's Place in God's Army

14. Recognizing We Are at War
Recognizing the enemies of God
Reading Ephesians 6:10 – 13
Discussion (5 min)
Who are the enemies of God that are attacking us? 1 2 3 4 5
What do we need to do?

15. Recognizing We Are at War
Recognizing the enemies of God
Reading Ephesians 6:10 – 13
Discussion (5 min)
Who are the enemies of God that are attacking us?
1 the devil
2 principalities
3 powers
4 rulers of this world, of the darkness of this age
5 spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places
What do we need to do?
1 Be strong in the Lord
2 Be strong in the power of His might
3 Put on the whole armor of God

16. Jesus Has Equipped His Disciples
“Put on the full armor of God ...” (v 11a)
Read Ephesians 6:14 – 17
Discussion: Identify each part of the armor of God and why they are necessary (10 min.)
e.g. “shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace” - Allows a soldier of God to take a stable stance and have power to stand firm 1 2
(See next slide)

17. Jesus Has Equipped His Disciples
“Put on the full armor of God ...” (v 11a)
Discussion: Identify each part of the armor of God and why they are necessary (10 min.) 3 4 5

18. Jesus Has Equipped His Disciples
“Put on the full armor of God ...” (v 11a)
Read Ephesians 6:14 – 17
Discussion: Identify each part of the armor of God and why they are necessary (10 min.)
e.g. “shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace” - Allows a soldier of God to take a stable stance and have power to stand firm
1 “Girt our loins with the Truth” – Helps us to stand straight and not be bowed down by lies, gossip, and false doctrine
2 “Breastplate of Righteousness” - protects our heart against “emotional sins”, such as lust, covetousness, jealousy, and hate … to name a few.
(See next slide)

19. Jesus Has Equipped His Disciples
“Put on the full armor of God ...” (v 11a)
Discussion: Identify each part of the armor of God and why they are necessary (10 min.)
3 “Helmet of Salvation” - guards our mind against vain imaginations, doubt (of God, of our salvation), fear of worldly events or people.
4 “Shield of faith” - false teachings, sins of non-believers, accusations of non-believers, guilt imposed by Satan or non-believers, derision, mockery, etc.
5 “Sword of the Spirit” - Defense: parry the attacks of Satan to mislead, defend against subtle trickery. Attack: drive Satan away through the Word, through prayer & fasting.
Jesus defended Himself after fasting & praying 40 days (Matthew 4:1 – 11)
Jesus parried Satan's “attack” 2 times
Jesus in the end attacked and drove Satan away.

20. A Disciple Is God's Champion
The Champion for God in Spiritual Battle
Exceptional warrior standing forth to battle the enemy
God holds forth Job as His champion against Satan
Read Job 1:6 – 12
Read Job 2:1 – 6
Discussion (5 min.)
What is the conflict between God and Satan?
Why did God hold forth Job?
What clues reveal that God had control … always!

21. A Disciple Is God's Champion
The Champion for God in Spiritual Battle
Exceptional warrior standing forth to battle the enemy
God holds forth Job as His champion against Satan
Read Job 1:6 – 12
Read Job 2:1 – 6
Discussion (5 min.)
What is the conflict between God and Satan?
Satan arrogantly saunters before God, and brags that he had dominion over the worlds.
God forced Satan to admit that he had not power over Job.
Why did God hold forth Job?
God already knew that Job would prevail.
What clues reveal that God had control … always!
God set limits on what Satan could do to Job, AND Satan had to comply.

22. The Disciple As God's Champion
The Champion for God in Spiritual Battle
Job's Response against Satan attack
Read Job 1:20 – 22
Read Job 2:9 – 10
Discussion (5 min.)
What was Job's response after suffering loss of all his property and children?
What was Job's response to his wife?

23. The Disciple As God's Champion
The Champion for God in Spiritual Battle
Job's Response against Satan attack
Read Job 1:20 – 22
Read Job 2:9 – 10
Discussion (5 min.)
What was Job's response after suffering loss of all his property and children?
He bowed before God in submission and worshipped
He acknowledged God's sovereignty in all things
“In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.” (Job 1:22)
What was Job's response to his wife?
He rebuked her, calling her a foolish woman.
He reminded her of God's sovereignty and provision
“In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” (Job 2:10b)

24. The Disciple as a Soldier in God's Army
Disciples overlap shields of faith to form a wall. Swords of the Spirit to defend each other.
More elaborate shield of faith wall
Disciples standing on the firm
Foundation of the Gospel of Peace
Note the balanced stance.

25. So What! God's Protective Armor Disciples as Soldiers of God
Breastplate of Righteousness protects our heart from lust, envy, hate, …
Helmet of salvation protects our mind from false doctrine, pride, …
Shield of faith protects us from Satan's fiery darts of guilt, doubt, ...
Firm foundation of the gospel of peace, keeps us stable in times of turmoil
Girt our loins with the Truth, Jesus is our Lord
Sword of the Spirit to parry Satan's thrusts and counter strike to drive him away. (Matt. 4:1 – 11)
Disciples as Soldiers of God
As God's champion – standing forth
As a member of God's army – mutually supportive