WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 11: Relationships – Marriage

Reading: Ephesians 5:21-33 Context: How does “submitting to one another” (v.21) set the tone for what follows? The healthy, godly understanding and application of submission resolves all relationships. All of them. Especially when done in the right order. If we understand what we’ve read in the first three chapters of Ephesians, we’ll understand that submitting […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 10: Walking in Love and Light

Reading: Ephesians 5:1-20 Context: What does it mean to be “imitators of God as dearly loved children”? This is one of the most important identity verses in Scripture. First, it underpins our identity in Christ. Second, it underpins how parenting and childhood work. Third, it points to something about how we emerge in life. Going […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 09: New Life, New Standards

Reading: Ephesians 4:17-32 Context: How does Paul contrast the Gentile way of life with Christian living? The heart of the contrast lies in the difference that God makes in what it means to live. What makes it Gentile is its ignorance and/or rejection of God. As a result, Paul describes this kind of life as […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 08: Unity in the Body

Reading: Ephesians 4:1-16 Context: How does “living a life worthy of the calling” connect to the previous chapters? The previous chapters have outlined the honour and privilege of being joined to God’s great eternal purpose through the Lord Jesus Christ. This is glorious. We have been rescued from a life destined for God’s full wrath. […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 06: Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles

Reading: Ephesians 3:1-13 Context: Why does Paul refer to himself as a “prisoner for Christ Jesus”? First, he is describing his current location. He’s in prison. The reason he’s in prison is because of Jesus. That is to say, in line with what it means to follow Jesus, he is facing opposition and resistance that […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 05: Unity in Christ

Reading: Ephesians 2:11-22 Context: What was the historical relationship between Jews and Gentiles in Paul’s time? Jews and Gentiles were antagonistically situated. The name Gentile is defined by not being a Jew. Jews were very proud of their identity and had practices that made them distinct from others. Rather than being a bridge to understand […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 03: Paul’s Prayer for Wisdom

Reading: Ephesians 1:15-23 Context: What prompted Paul to pray this prayer for the Ephesians? News reached a prison cell, and it turned straight into prayer. Paul opens with for this reason — pointing back to a report about the Ephesians: their faith in the Lord Jesus, their love for all the saints (v.15). This good […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 01: Book Overview

Context: Ephesians – Who Wrote It, When, and Why It Matters Paul identifies himself as the author twice in the text (1:1, 3:1), and the early church overwhelmingly accepted his authorship. Paul wrote Ephesians from house arrest in Rome, somewhere around AD 60 to 62, making it one of four so-called “prison epistles” alongside Philippians, […]

KMCD 16: The Gift, The Fellowship and the Kingsman

This is based on reading 1 Peter 4:10-11 The Function of Fellowship: Gifted to Serve “As each has received a gift.” Not some. Not those with theological training. Not the ones who have been walking with Jesus the longest, or the ones who seem the most naturally talented, or the ones in any kind of […]

KMCD 14: The Gifts are not for Games

How does the Kingsman consider the issue of spiritual gifts? It was a game. Someone produced a questionnaire. Fill it in, tally your scores, and discover your spiritual gifts. Compare results with others. Marvel at the combinations. What did they get? What were their major gifts? Did we complement each other in any way? After […]