Connect
Were you ever a part of a drama play in high school or college? If so, did you have a leading or supporting role? What is memorable about the experience?
Discuss
- Read Ephesians 1:3-14. Before the world began, God chose us according to His will and pleasure. How does the truth that God wanted you speak to your sense of worth and identity today? In what ways does it change how you view challenges or rejection?
- The doctrine of election can sometimes cause confusion or fear. How does understanding that God’s plan is rooted in love and invitation challenge or comfort you?
- Every blessing we have comes “in Christ.” What are some blessings you’ve experienced that you might not have recognized as coming from being in Him?
- If Jesus is the main point of all of history, how does this affect your understanding of how you spend your time, of what you do with your resources, of how you engage with others?
- Paul describes the Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance. Where do you see glimpses or a foretaste of heaven in your relationship with God right now?
- God’s ultimate purpose in salvation is “to the praise of His glory.” In what specific ways can you turn gratitude into action this week?
- We often focus on making lunches, paying bills, and just surviving the week. However, these verses in Ephesians remind us that we are part of a much bigger story. What is one practical change you could make this week to live with greater awareness of God’s eternal story unfolding all around you?
Pray
Pray for each other to have opportunities to live for “the praise of His glory” this week. Thank the Lord for His amazing plan that will someday be fulfilled in Christ!
Before leaving, remind everyone to read the first chapter of Ephesians each day this week.