Book of Ephesians (Chapter 1)

I. THE ETERNAL PLAN OF GOD FOR THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVER, 1:3-23

A. The Blessings of God (Part I), 1:3-14

1) God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings (v.3)

2) God has chosen us to be holy and blameless (v.4)
a. How: In Christ (v.4a)
b. Purpose: To live "before Him in love"—forever and ever (v.4b)

3) God has adopted us as children (v.5-6)
a. Predestinated—Foreordained: Was His will (v.5a)
b. How: By Christ (v.5b)
c. Why: To praise His grace (v.6)

4) God has redeemed us—forgiven our sins (v.7)
a. How: By Christ's blood (v.7a)
b. Source: His grace (v.7b)

B. The Blessings of God (Part II), 1:8-14

1) God has given us wisdom and understanding (v.8)

2) God has revealed the mystery of His will to us (v.9-10)
a. Source: His purpose (v.9)
b. To climax the ages (v.10a)
c. To gather all things together in heaven and earth (v.10b)
d. To put all under Christ (v.10c)

3) God has given us an inheritance: He has made us the heritage of God (v.11-13b)
a. Predestinated—His will (v.11)
b. The inheritance: "That we should be," that is, exist eternally (v.12a)
c. Why: That we should exist to His glory, v.12 (v.12b)
d. How to receive the inheritance (v.13)
· By hearing the Word (v.13a)
· By trusting in Christ (v.13b)

4) God has sealed us with the Holy Spirit (v.13c-14)
a. He is the guarantee of our inheritance (v.14a)
b. Why: To praise His glory (v.14b)

C. The Knowledge of God, 1:15-18

1) The basis: Faith and love (v.15-16)
a. A strong testimony (v.15)
b. An ever present need (v.16)

2) The need: A growing knowledge of God—the God of Christ and the Father of glory.
(v.17-18a)
a. Through the spirit of wisdom (v.17a)
b. Through the spirit of revelation (v.17b)
c. Through an enlightened heart (v.18a)

3) The results: The knowledge of God (v.18b-d)
a. Know God's calling (v.18b)
b. Know God's inheritance (v.18c)
c. Know God's power, v.19 (v.18d)

D. The Power of God: Demonstrated in Christ's Exaltation, 1:19-23

1) God's power: A great power (v.19)
a. In believers (v.19a)
b. Measured by God's power in Christ exalted (v.19b)

2) God’s Power: The power that raised Him from the dead (v.20a)

3) God’s Power: The power that took Him to heaven and set Him at God's right hand (v.20b)

4) God’s Power: The power that exalted Christ above all creatures: In this world and in the next world (v.21)

5) God’s Power: The power that exalted Him as the Supreme Head of the church (v.22-23)
a. Christ—the Head (v.22)
b. The church—His body (v.23a)
c. The church—His instrument (v.23b)