Overwhelmed with excitement, Paul is doing two things in these verses: (1) describing the many blessings we have in Christ and (2) calling us to worship Christ. Gospel truths lead to gospel living. Our passage follows the outline below:

1. Redemption and Forgiveness According to God’s Grace (v.7)
2. Wisdom and Insight According to God’s Grace (v. 8)
3. Wisdom and Insight For Revelation of The Mystery God’s Will (v. 9-10)

God's plan was always to forgive, redeem, and unite sinners through Jesus' death on the cross. The cross was God's mysterious will, his divine plan put in place before the foundation of the world. In Christ, we have redemption through His blood, the abundant forgiveness of all our sins.

Paul adds in verse 7-8, “according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us,” to show that there are no sins too great for God to forgive through the blood of Christ. “All wisdom and insight” (1:8b) refers to the wisdom and insight that God has graciously given to us so that we can know “the mystery of His will.” The outcome of history is certain and God has revealed it to us in advance.

If all things will be subject one day to Jesus Christ as Lord and if all of His subjects will dwell together in the unhindered harmony of heaven, then it follows that we now should bring every area of our lives and every relationship under His sovereign lordship.

 Getting Started                          

1. Which is your most favourite Christian hymn or chorus to sing? What feelings does it stir up in your soul? Share your story.

• Read Ephesians 1:3-14

2. What insight, principle, or observation from Sunday’s sermon did you find to be the most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling?

Digging Deeper

3. Redemption in the first century brought to mind the common picture of a slave being purchased and then set free. Redemption meant release from bondage by the payment of a price. Paul uses the word in a spiritual sense to refer to Christ’s paying the price of our sin by His sacrificial death on the cross on our behalf. Is it true or false to say that a Christians is released from sin’s penalty, but not sin’s power? Explain your answer.
4. According to verse 8, God gives wisdom (knowledge) and understanding (what to do with this knowledge) into the mystery of his will. In what way has God lavishly given believers “wisdom and understanding” (v. 8)?

5. What does the mystery that God is going to bring all things “together” under Christ tell us about “all things” (1:10)?

The Heart of the Matter

6. Christ’s perfect life and His substitutionary death on the cross obtained redemption for all whom God has predestined to adoption as sons ( 1:5). How can we, as believers, continually apply our redemption in Christ?

7. Paul sang because he was forgiven. He sang because God cleansed him daily in accordance with the riches of his grace and forgiveness. Why do you think that so many choose not to accept God’s lavish grace in forgiveness? 

8. Based on Ephesians 1:3-10, how can the believer rejoice when the world is in a state of disarray? How can believers live a life of praise, even during trials?