It is hard to feel like you really fit in church when everyone else seems to come from a different race, a different culture, a different religious background. But Paul has a solution to this problem…
So far in his letter, Paul has described how the church exists, and what it is made of. Now it is time to find out why.
Paul demonstrates how diversity is actually a gift, and the true source of unity.
An ancient Jewish prophecy predicted the rise of the international Church. Paul explains to the Ephesians how they are fulfilling that prophecy, and what their obligations are now.
Paul tells the Ephesians that if they want to change society, they should start by giving thanks for healthy sexuality.
Society in the empire is complicated, and changing fast. Paul gives the Ephesian church some guidelines so they can keep their balance.
Paul closes his letter with some final advice on the war to maintain the church’s unity: keep it simple, start small, and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people!
God makes a deal with Adam: you keep gardening, and I will live with you forever. Adam screws up his part of the deal. But then God makes a strange promise: one day, Eve will have a son who will redeem everything.
God makes a deal with Noah: you build me a boat, and I will make an eternal covenant of salvation with you. Noah keeps his part of the deal. Could this be Eve’s Son, the long-awaited Messiah?
Nope.
God makes a deal with Abraham: you build me a family, and I will 1. turn you into a great nation. 2. give your great nation a homeland. 3. make sure Eve’s Son is descended from you. Abraham keeps his part of the deal. So God fulfills part 1 of his covenant: he turns Abraham into a great nation.
