Upcoming Sermon Preparation for Sunday Worship (Updated 2.20.12)
This upcoming Sunday we began a new chapter. Ephesians 2 is a glorious illumination of our new position in Jesus as both Christ and Lord. This chapter is divided into two sections by focus. The first section (verses 1-10) will give attention to the individual’s new position with God. The second section (verses 11-22) will concentrate on our new corporate position with God. This coming Sunday we start examining the Christian’s new individual position, by seeking to understand our old position (Verses 1-3). We will be covering verses 1-2 this week dealing with the description of this old position, and verse 3 the week after by understanding the outworking of our old position. For study with your families, please consider continuing to memorize verses 1-10 of chapter 2, and reading Genesis 6:1-5; Jeremiah 17:9; and Psalm 140 prior to Sunday.
Discipleship Questions:
How do you "really" view yourself prior to repenting and believing in Jesus?
We see what we were dead "in;" what is it that we were dead "to"?
Why does Paul start explaining our new position by looking at the old?
In-depth Questions:
Is our passage opposed to synergism? Look up the definition and discuss/study.
Ephesians 2:2 seems difficult to see in a child that comes to faith, how might they best understand it's truth?
Ephesians Series
Suggested Resources:
Detailed Exegetical (deals with the grammar, interpretive issues, and scholarship)
Word Biblical Commentary: Ephesians - Andrew T. Lincoln
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Letter to the Ephesians - Peter T. O'Brien
Notes Epistles of St. Paul - J.B. Lightfoot
The International Critical Commentary: Ephesians and Galatians - T.K. Abbott
Calvin's Commentaries - Volume XXI - John Calvin
The Expositor's Greek Testament - Volume 3 - S.D.F Salmond
Expositional (deals with theological issues, some language, and systematic study)
New Testament Commentary: Galatians and Ephesians - William Hendrickson
Preaching the Word: Ephesians - R. Kent Hughes
The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Ephesians - John MacArthur
The NIV Application Commentary: Ephesians - Klyne Snodgrass
The Epistle to the Ephesians - F.F. Bruce
Devotional (deals with personal application)
Everyman's Bible Commentary: Ephesians - Homer A. Kent Jr.
Ephesians - H.A. Ironside
The Christ in the Bible Commentary - A.B. Simpson