Ephesians
1:3, 5:19–20
Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians from prison. Although he is in prison, Paul isn’t sad or discouraged. He is filled with hope and joy. He tells everyone that he meets about Jesus. Paul knows that God is with him and that God will take care of him.
1:15–23, 3:14–21
There are two prayers in Ephesians.
- In Ephesians 1:15–23, Paul prays that the Ephesians will get to know the Lord even better. He also prays that they will know God’s great power working in them.
- In Ephesians 3:14–19, Paul prays that they will receive the power of the Holy Spirit. He prays that they may know how much Jesus loves them. He ends his prayer by praising God. Read verses 20–21.
2:10
Paul said we are God’s creation. What he means is that God made us with his own hands. Paul also says we are made to belong to Christ.
God created us to do good works. This means we are to tell people the good news about Jesus. And we are to live so that others see Jesus in us.
Inny wants you to consider something important! Think about what this means for what you say and what you do. Then write down some things that will help you show you are God’s creation.
2:11–22
Paul says some important things about the church. Jesus is the head of the church. That means that he rules over the church. Jesus is the foundation of the church. That means that he holds it together. The church is God’s family. It’s made up of all those who believe in Jesus.
It’s gathered from the whole world. It doesn’t matter what color a person’s skin is or what language they speak.
4:11–13
Paul tells about the various gifts the Holy Spirit gave to believers and the church.
Thinky suggests making a list of the gifts Paul names here. Then read Romans 12:6–8 and 1 Corinthians 12:7–11. Add the gifts named in those verses to your list.
Why does the Holy Spirit give us gifts? You will find the answer in Ephesians 4:12.
Write your answer on the paper with the lists you made. We are supposed to do something with our gifts!
4:23–2
Christians are made new. They are created to be truly good and holy, just as God is. Right from the beginning, God wanted people to be like him.
In Genesis 1:26 he said, "Let us make human beings so that they are like us."
We are supposed to be like God in our character. We must act as he acts. We must be like him in everything that we do.
4:26
Talky knows that we don’t always do or say what is right. At times, we all get angry. This verse tells you what to do. Don’t stay angry. Go and talk to the other person. Ask for forgiveness. Make peace before the end of the day.
If being angry is a problem for you, go and talk about it with someone you trust. Ask this person to pray with you and ask God to help you.
4:31–32
You can change the way you act! On the left side of a piece of paper, write all the things Paul says you must get rid of. Choose a color for each one from Hearty’s color chart on page 19. Or choose your own colors. What colors did you choose for these things?
On the right side of your paper, list the things you must be instead.
How do you feel right now about the way you act? Do you need to change some behaviors? Fill out the other part of your color chart that shows how you feel.
Talk to God about your behavior and how you want to change.
6:1–4
Greeny discovered something interesting about people in Bible times.
Aunts and uncles, grandfathers and grandmothers, and cousins often lived together. The father was the head of the family and everyone had to obey him. Everyone in the family looked after each other.
What is the role of children in a family? The answer is in verse 1.
What should parents do? Read the answer in verse 4. Parents and children should always respect one another.
