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Bible Study: April 19, 2015


NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.

This week’s Bible study is adapted from the Bible Studies for Life curriculum.

Bible Passages: Ephesians 1:7-10, 18-23

Discussion Question: What causes us to honor Jesus as Lord in some areas of life but not in others?

Food for Thought by Tony Evans:

I love good movies. Movies full of action, adventure, or intrigue are my favorites. In most of them, though, once the climax has been reached — the person is rescued, the hero wins the fight, or the mystery is solved — the movie immediately goes to the credits.

Ever wondered what happened next?

Jesus’ earthly life ended with a great climax: His resurrection, post-resurrection appearances, and a physical ascent to heaven. But have you ever wondered what happened next? To put it another way: What is Jesus up to these days?

The story continues! Jesus is exalted to heaven, and the Book of Ephesians gives us a glimpse into Jesus’ role and reign now.

Jesus Christ brings all things together in heaven and on earth. God’s will is “to bring everything together in the Messiah” (Ephesians 1:10). In Him, the One who stands exalted like no other, you will discover both the fullness and the summation of everything you will ever need in heaven and on earth. It’s all there … in Him. Everything you need for victorious living is in Jesus.

We so often forfeit Jesus’ power and authority simply because we do not remain in Him. Colossians 1:13 tells us God “has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.” If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you used to belong to Satan’s kingdom, but now you are part of a new kingdom, and Jesus is its King. Satan can do nothing to remove you from God’s kingdom, but he will do his best to get you to ignore the kingdom rule of Jesus Christ.

Satan is influencing believers’ lives because they are yielding the power to him; not because of any rightful authority he has, but simply because of the failure of believers to align their thoughts and decisions under the lordship of Jesus Christ. By not exalting Jesus Christ to the proper first place he deserves in our lives, homes, and churches, we miss out on the benefits of His covering.

Do you want the benefits He provides to His people? Then remain in Him.

Bible Studies for Life

Bible Studies for Life is a life-stage focused family of resources that addresses key issues in the lives of adults and students. Consisting of seven curriculum lines developed for various life and generational stages plus two others designed for deeper study, all of these resources focus on the same Bible passage for each week. Information about the seven curriculum lines and more information can be found on the Internet at LifeWay.com/BibleStudiesforLife.

Other ongoing Bible study options for all ages offered by LifeWay can be found at LifeWay.com/SundaySchool.

    About the Author

  • Staff/Lifeway Christian Resources