The news that a very interesting and encouraging letter had just arrived from their dear friend and teacher, Paul, would have spread very quickly throughout the region around Ephesus. They no doubt had heard about his imprisonment in Rome and would have been very concerned about his safety and well-being. Can you imagine what it might have been like as small groups and churches gathered to listen to the reading of this letter? “Blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” “Chosen before the foundation of the world.” “God saved you by His grace.” These new believers must have been eager to grasp on to every declaration of the mysteries of God’s infinite love as well as to benefit from seeing how these amazing truths could affect their thinking and actions.
You will find some very helpful background and interesting information on pages 2 and 3 of your lesson packet, so be sure to enjoy reading it this week and then take some time to read Ephesians. You might want to listen to it on your phone or I-Pad, too, because it is a very different experience to hear it spoken. Absorb the ideas with an eager and open mind and heart. Imagine yourself hearing the exciting news that a letter had just arrived from Paul. What seems like new information to you? What does he say? What does he want those believers (and you) to know and to understand? Why do you think that he wrote this letter to the “faithful saints in Christ Jesus”? That’s YOU!
By the way – Lesson 1 is next week, June 25 to July 2.
