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Bible Study Network

A growing network of women are studying the Bible together. You’ll find Bible resources, study aids, devotionals, prompts, service ideas and everyday applications as well as ideas for starting your own online or onsite group.

March 18, 2019 by Karen Wingate Leave a Comment

Unity in the Church: Is It Possible? – Ephesians Bible Study Session 5

How can any group attain unity?

The Bible has the answer.Unity in the Church - Ephesians 4 Bible Study

I’m currently reading a fascinating book about the lives and love story of Founding Father, Alexander and Eliza Hamilton. My Dear Hamilton traces the life of Alexander Hamilton, senior aide to General George Washington and later Secretary of the Treasury under President Washington from the perspective of his wife, Elizabeth. In addition to his many contributions to the early years of the United States, Hamilton worked with future president James Madison to co-author The Federalist Papers, a series of 84 essays that interpret and promote the new Constitution. According to “My Dear Hamilton,” the men had different opinions and different ways of expressing those opinions. Yet their passion for a strong nation became the catalyst for unity in their working relationship.

Watch the video that introduces our study of unity from Ephesians 4:1-16 here.

The issues surrounding the establishment of a new country became more complex and as more people weighed in with their opinions on how to set up the new government, those positions drove wedges between the friendships of many patriots, including Hamilton and Madison. Sadly, the men’s love of the new nation wasn’t enough to keep them unified.

Is unity ever possible?

When people have so many opposing opinions, what can possibly hold people together?

Is unity possible for the church?

Our online Bible study this session looks at Ephesians 4:1-16. I find five components in this passage that will retain unity in the church:

  • One Commander in Chief
  • One Constitution
  • One purpose
  • One goal
  • One motivation

Let’s look at each component one at a time:

One Commander in Chief

  • Who is the One in charge of the Church (v. 5,6)?
  • How does allegiance to one ultimate leader promote unity in a large group of people?

One Constitution

Verse 5 describes this as one faith, one baptism. We can find unity when we all agree on the basic tenets of faith. LIke any membership rules for a group or qualifications for citizenship in a country, there must be one standard for inclusion that remains constant and that both parties agree to. Imagine the chaos in the Church if God had different membership rules or no membership rules at all. Our acceptance of God’s plan of salvation as outlined in the Bible, adheres us to God and to each other.

Faith refers to the collection of doctrine found in the pages of the Bible. All Christians are to believe in the saving death of Jesus Christ to abolish the penalty, punishment, and power of sin. We accept this as it is spelled out in the Bible.

Baptism, in this passage, I believe, is a word to represent our part in accepting God’s plan. The Bible itemizes how we are to enter in to this unified body of Christ-followers. Agreement with the Bible on how we become part of God’s family unifies us to each other. It is tragic that misunderstanding over what the Bible teaches about our part in the salvation process has caused so much division.

What comfort and encouragement do you find in sharing the same belief system with other Christians?

One Purpose

We are all so different from each other. Guess what? God intended it that way.

Read Ephesians 4:7-11.

  • Who makes us uniquely gifted?
  • How can a diversity of talents and gifts strengthen the Church?
  • What were some of the gifts needed to launch the new Church in the first century (v. 11)?

Now look at Ephesians 4:12,13. Paul explains why a variety of gifts are needed in this new establishment.

What was God’s purpose in providing different kinds of leaders (v. 12)?

Alexander Hamilton and James Madison were a stronger team because they were different. Hamilton had such a brilliant mind that he was able to cut to the heart of a thorny philosophical truth. Yet Madison had the ability to put those lofty ideas into simple terms. Their diverse gifts made for a strong document that became a classic defense for this brand-new Constitution.

Look at the chain reaction:

  • God gave gifts to certain leaders to use to prepare others for works of service.
  • Those works of service were to be used to build up the body of Christ.
  • The body of Christ is built up so that all of us can reach unity in the faith.

How do you see your church family using their unique gifts to build up the body of Christ?

One Goal

Read Ephesians 4:14-16

A group cannot reach unity until individual members reach maturity. Maturity means buying into and remaining committed to the tenets of faith, the authority of Christ and the Scriptures, and the leadership of the local church.

  • Why is this strong stable commitment necessary for the Church to have unity?
  • When people have a sound doctrinal core and look to Jesus as their authority, they have less chance of succumbing to two kinds of divisiveness. What are they (see v. 14)?
  • Do you know Christians who are easily swayed by new ideas or deceptive schemes? According to this passage, what is the core problem?
  • How can the Church prevent dissention that is based on uninformed opinions (v. 15)?

One Motivation

Read Ephesians 4:15,16

  • What will help us keep the unity of the Spirit?
  • Where does this love come from?

Make It Real

Keep the Unity - Ephesians 4:3

Unity takes work. Lots of work. It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s something we keep reaching toward. So don’t get discourages if you see ways your group is not unified. It doesn’t mean you are a failure. It merely means you aren’t there yet.

  • Go back to v. 1-3. According to these verses, how can individuals promote unity in the church?
  • Go back to v 11-12. According to these verses, and remembering that unity is related to maturity, what can church leaders do to promote unity in the church?
  • What are some ways that people can unknowingly or unintentionally create division in a church? (Read v. 14, 2 Timothy 2:22-26)

It is so easy to look at the divisions and dissensions, bemoaning that the Church is not unified. It’s like looking at a scab on our toe and immediately assuming our entire body is wracked with infection. Yes, it’s possible, but not likely. I encourage you to look at how you ARE unified with other Christians. Celebrate what you share in common. Look for ways you are similar. Praise God for what you do share with other believers.

This Week

What small step could you take to further the spirit of unity within your local church? What are you doing that you should stop doing?

 

NOTE: I am not an affiliate for anyone. That means, I get no kick-back from any link I post. If I tell about a product or a book, there’s nothing in it for me. I’m merely giving you added Internet resources.

Filed Under: Bible Study Tagged With: church unity, Ephesians, online Bible study

March 5, 2019 by Karen Wingate Leave a Comment

Power Beyond Understanding: Ephesians Bible Study Session 4

Ephesians - OUr Infinite Power SoursePower!

What comes to your mind when you hear the word power?

What earthly forces are powerful?

  • Electricity
  • Atomic bomb
  • Dynamite
  • Tornados
  • Niagara Falls
  • Category 5 Hurricanes

Who have been powerful leaders in world history?

  • Joseph Stalin
  • Alexander the Great
  • Mahatma Ghandi
  • Ghengis Khan
  • Mother Theresa
  • John D Rockefeller
  • Napoleon Bonaparte
  • Osama ben Ladin

How are these things powerful? What made these people powerful? What happened when that power was expressed?

Here’s the key issue

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Bible Study Tagged With: Ephesians, love, online Bible study, power

February 26, 2019 by Karen Wingate Leave a Comment

Ephesians Bible Study Session 3: Peace That Will Break Any Barrier

Ephesians - Breaking the BarriersHow can peace happen between opposing groups of people?

Welcome to Session Three of our online Bible study as we look at God’s blueprint for the Church. This week, we’ll check out Ephesians 2:11-20

Watch my Introduction to this week’s session on my video.

Have you heard of separation anxiety? That’s the phenomenon when a baby becomes more aware of the presence and identity of Mommy and is definitely more aware of Mommy’s absence!

God never intended for His people to be separated from Him. He wanted us to have such an intimate relationship with Him that we would want to take daily walks in the cool of the evening with Him just like Adam and Eve did in the beginning of time. he longs for there to be peace between Him and the people He created. He longs for people to experience peace with each other.

The Lord never intended for the division between Jew and Greek to be permanent. Marking one group of people with the mark of circumcision was not supposed to mean that the Jews exclusively received God’s blessings and were superior to all other groups.

Superiority. That’s one wall that comes between people. What else divides people?

  • Disagreements over religion, politics, and any number of topics where people have a difference of opinion
  • Jealousy over wealth
  • An inability to accept the difference of race, culture, social-economic status,gender, or age

In my video this week, I talk about two groups of people who couldn’t get along with each other. Their conflict shows the extent of unrestrained hostility.

  • Who were the two groups of people?
  • What divided them?
  • What was the spark that led to the hostility?
  • How did they resolve their hostility?

Read my blog post, “Rwanda: After the Genocide” to learn more about how that country has sought to bring PEACE to their people.

Read Ephesians 2:11-22

Barriers exist between all kinds of groups of people. The strongest, most devastating barrier is the one that separates all people from God. The Lord longs to reconcile all people back to Himself.

What is reconciliation? Reconciliation means the restoration of friendly relations. But a lot of work must go into that restoration process.

  • In Ephesians 2:11-13, which groups need to be reconciled?
  • How did God choose to bring these groups back together?

Read these verses to learn more about God’s reconciliation process:

  • Romans 5:9-11
  • 2 Corinthians 5:18-20
  • Colossians 1:22

When we break down the barriers between us and God, what can happen to the barriers between us and other people? How is this possible?

What hinders us from reconciliation?

As we try to reconcile, what is our hope of reconciliation?

I love v. 14!

“He Himself is our peace!”

 

And v. 17 is wonderful too. God has made His brand of peace available to everyone. All of us have access to God’s lasting, permanent peace.

Jesus preached peace - Ephesians 2:17In verses 19-22, Paul uses the imagery of a building to describe the unification process between God and all people. Why is this a fitting description of the peace we can find with God and others?

Let’s Make It Personal

Sadly, even though Christ has reconciled us to himself, many people who call themselves Christians are hostile toward each other, whether it’s county against country, clan against clan, or even people within a congregation. This is sad because through Christ, hostility does not have to exist. God has provided a way for us to get along with each other.

In the video, I give three steps toward reconciliation that I see in this passage.

  • Make sure YOU are reconciled to God. Ephesians 2:14 says the Jesus is our peace. Have you found peace in Jesus Christ alone?
  • YOU start the process of forgiveness and reconciliation. It has to start somewhere.
  • Do all you can and then let it go. Romans 12:18 (NIV) says,

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Remember it takes THREE. You do as much as you can to restore the relationship and you make sure there is peace between you and your Creator. If animosity still exists, it is now on the other person. The most important thing is that your relationship is right with God.

This week:

What barriers exist between you and other people?
Why do those barriers exist?
What do you need to do to partner with God to begin the process of reconciliation?

If your issue is with a brother or sister in Christ, focus on what you share in common – your mended relationship with Jesus Christ. His blueprint for the Church is that both of you find peace in Him.

Filed Under: Bible Study Tagged With: Ephesians, online Bible study, peace, reconciliation

February 18, 2019 by Karen Wingate Leave a Comment

Ephesians Bible Study Session Two: The Best Gift of All

Ephesians Bible Study Session Two - What has God created you to be?What’s the best gift you’ve ever received from another person?

This week, we’ll look at Ephesians 1:15-2:10. As you read, look for the gift God offers to us.

On my latest Ephesians Bible Study video, I share about the best gift I’ve ever received. It was a gift that expanded my world and blew open the door to so much more in life. It’s a gift I still use to this day. Am I overstating? Find out what my gift was on the video.

Click here to see the video.

Gift giving is a funny business. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Bible Study Tagged With: Ephesians, eternal life, gift giving, grace, online Bible study

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Invite Karen Wingate to share with your church group at your next Women’s Ministry event the incredible story of how God gave her better vision than ever before. Contact her at karen@graceonparade.com [Continue …]

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- 2 Corinthians 2:14

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