First Baptist Church . 3 Hedge Street . Simpsonville, SC 29681 . phone: (864) 967-8591 . Class Location: Main 210
Our Prayer
Our Prayer
Heavenly Father, I know that I have sinned against You and that my sins separate me from You. I am truly sorry. I now want to turn away from my sinful past and turn to You for forgiveness. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ, died for my sins, that He was raised from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become my Savior and the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send Your Holy Spirit to help me obey You and to convict me when I sin. I pledge to grow in grace and knowledge of You. My greatest purpose in life is to follow Your example and do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Ephesians 3:14–21 shows us that spiritual
growth happens from the inside out. Paul prays that we would be strengthened by
the Spirit, rooted in Christ’s love, and filled with the fullness of God. This
is not about doing more, but about experiencing more of Him. Because God can do
far more than we can ask or imagine, we can live with confidence, knowing His
power is at work within us for His glory.
Ephesians 3:14-21
Prayer for Spiritual Strength
[14] For this reason I bow my knees before
the Father, [15] from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, [16]
that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened
with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may
dwell in your hearts through faith — that you, being rooted and grounded in
love, [18] may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the
breadth and length and height and depth, [19] and to know the love of Christ
that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. [20]
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think,
according to the power at work within us, [21] to him be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (ESV)
Ephesians 3 reminds us that we cannot give
away what we have not first experienced. As the Spirit strengthens us and
Christ dwells in us, His love begins to overflow into the lives of others. As a
group, this means we pursue depth with God together, pray for one another’s
spiritual growth, and step into opportunities to reflect Christ’s love in
tangible ways. Mission is not driven by pressure, but by overflow. The more we
are filled with God’s presence, the more we naturally point others to Him
through our words, actions, and relationships.
Ephesians 3:1–13 reveals that the gospel is
not a last-minute plan, but God’s eternal purpose to unite all people in
Christ. What was once hidden has now been made known — through Jesus, everyone
is invited to become part of God’s family. This mystery has been entrusted to
the Church, calling us to boldly proclaim it to the world. Because we have
confident access to God and a secure place in His plan, we can live on mission
knowing that even our suffering is not wasted but used for His glory.
Ephesians 3:1-13
The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed
[1] For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of
Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles — [2] assuming that you have heard of
the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, [3] how the
mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. [4] When
you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, [5]
which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now
been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. [6] This mystery
is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers
of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. [7] Of this gospel I was
made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the
working of His power. [8] To me, though I am the very least of all the saints,
this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of
Christ, [9] and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery
hidden for ages in God, who created all things, [10] so that through the church
the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and
authorities in the heavenly places. [11] This was according to the eternal
purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, [12] in whom we have
boldness and access with confidence through our faith in Him. [13] So I ask you
not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. (ESV)
As a group, this means embracing the reality
that the gospel we’ve received is the mystery we’ve been entrusted to share.
Ephesians 3 reminds us that God’s plan has always been to bring all people into
one family through Christ, and now the Church is the vehicle through which that
message is made known.
As a group, this means we don’t turn inward —
we live with intentionality, praying for those far from God, creating space for
others to belong, and boldly speaking the truth of the gospel. We encourage one
another to see everyday moments as opportunities for mission, remembering that
we carry a message the world desperately needs to hear.
END
Teacher Notes:
The Mystery We Carry
We have the best news in all the world and
churches full of people who don’t talk about it.
“Whoever saves one life saves the world
entire.”
Click Play to Watch
We are not saved by what we did… or didn’t
do.
But…
that doesn’t mean how we live doesn’t matter.
Paul says we’ve been entrusted with
something:
A mystery revealed.
A message meant to be shared.
And one day, we will stand before God, not to
answer for our salvation…
but for our stewardship of the mystery, we
carry.
1.The Mystery: It’s
bigger than you - Ephesians 3:1–6
Ephesians 3:1-6
For this reason, I, Paul, a prisoner of
Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles — assuming that you have heard of the
stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was
made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this,
you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made
known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to
His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles
are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in
Christ Jesus through the gospel.
What is the “mystery”?
Why do you think Paul calls the gospel a
“mystery”?
When Paul talks about the ‘mystery,’ isn’t
this just John 3:16?
In a way, it is connected.
John 3:16 tells us that God loves the whole
world… that anyone can be saved.
But here’s what makes Ephesians 3 different:
It shows us what the ‘mystery’ looks like.
Not just individuals being saved…but people
being brought together.
People who used to be divided — Jew and
Gentile — now one family, one body, one promise.
So, the mystery isn’t just that God saves…
It’s that He brings us together.
It’s like being invited to dinner.
John 3:16 is the invitation — Everyone is
welcome.
Ephesians 3 is what happens next…
You walk in and realize the
table is full of people who are
nothing like you — and yet…you all belong
there.
Not just invited…but seated together as
family!
When did your faith shift from being about
you to being about God’s purpose?
2. The Mission: You’ve
been entrusted - Ephesians 3:7–11
Ephesians 3:7-11
Of this gospel I was made a minister
according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of His
power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was
given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to
bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in
God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of
God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly
places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in
Christ Jesus our Lord,
How does Paul’s view of his calling challenge
how we think about our role today?
We have the best news in all the world and
churches full of people who don’t talk about it.
What distractions pull us away from our
mission?
One simple act of boldness…
and millions went searching for Scripture.
Click Play to Watch
He didn’t save anyone…
but he pointed people to the message that
does.
This is what Paul is saying.
We’ve been entrusted with something powerful.
What is one simple way you could make your
faith visible
this week?
3.The
Confidence: You don’t carry this alone - Ephesians 3:12-13
Ephesians 3:12-13
Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have
boldness and access with confidence through our faith in Him. So, I ask you not
to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
In Ephesians 2:11–22, we see how the cross of
Christ tears down the walls that once divided people — between Jew and Gentile,
insider and outsider — and replaces hostility with peace. Through Jesus, those
who were once far from God and one another are brought near and made into one
new people. In Christ, we are no longer strangers but members of God’s family
and living stones in His temple, where His Spirit dwells. Because we are united
with Christ, we are called to pursue unity and reconciliation with one another
as His church.
The Wall That Divided Us (v. 11-12)
Before Christ, there was a deep and painful
separation, not just between people and God, but between people themselves.
This hostility is one that mirrors our own racial, cultural, and political
divisions today.
The Cross That Unites Us (v. 13-18)
Through His death, Jesus tears down the wall
that once divided us. His blood brings those who were far near, creating peace
not only between us and God but also between one another. The cross doesn’t
just remove hostility; it replaces it with unity.
The Temple That Includes Us (v.19-22)
Because of Christ’s work, we are no longer
outsiders — we are fully included in God’s people. Paul describes this with
rich imagery: we are citizens of a kingdom, members of a family, and stones in
a temple.
Ephesians 2:11-22
Therefore, remember that at one time you
Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the
circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands — 12 remember that you were
at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel
and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in
the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were
far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our
peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing
wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in
ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two, so
making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the
cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And He came and preached peace to you
who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both
have access in one Spirit to the Father.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and
aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the
household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure,
being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In Him you also
are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
What words or phrases describe who the
Gentiles were before Christ?
What specific things does Christ accomplish
in verses 13–18?
Where do you see division or hostility in the
world today that reflects this passage?
How does the gospel address hostility between
people, not just individuals and God?
Do you tend to drift toward isolation or
toward biblical community? Why?
Are there subtle ways you elevate differences
over unity with other believers?
What fears or barriers keep you from fully
engaging in community?
Closing Thoughts
This passage makes it clear: the gospel
doesn’t just save individuals — it creates a people. The people of God share an
eternal mission in which we are called to fulfill together. The sinful nature
still at work within us often hinders us from effective and collective Kingdom
efforts.
END
Teacher Notes:
Click Play to Watch
In Christ, those who were once separated — from
God and from each other — are brought near, united, and made part of God’s
family. Paul is writing to Gentile believers who once were outsiders — not just
socially, but spiritually. And yet, everything changed in Christ.
Ephesians 2:11-12
Therefore, remember that at one time you
Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the
circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands — remember that you were at
that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and
strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the
world.
What point is Paul trying to make here?
Separated from God, alienated from Israel,
and strangers to the covenants of promise – what does that mean?
Paul tells them to remember their past:
Separate from Christ
Excluded from God’s people
Strangers to the promises
Without hope
This isn’t to shame them — but to help them
appreciate grace.
We often lose our sense of wonder because we
forget how far God has brought us.
Ephesians 2:13-18
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far
off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace,
who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of
hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that
He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby
killing the hostility. And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and
peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access in one Spirit
to the Father.
Where do you see division or hostility in the
world today between Jews and Gentiles?
Click Play to Watch
Jesus didn’t just bring us closer to God — He
also:
Destroyed the barrier (the dividing wall
between Jew and Gentile)
Made peace
Created one new humanity
Reconciled both to God
Jesus didn’t come to make
better individuals only — He came to create a unified people.
Why is unity among believers so important to
God?
Ephesians 2:19-22
So, then you are no longer strangers and
aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the
household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ
Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined
together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him you also are being built
together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
What does it mean to you personally to be
part of God’s family?
What helps people feel like they truly belong
in a church?
Paul shifts from past → present identity:
No longer strangers
Fellow citizens
Members of God’s household
Built on Christ as the cornerstone
Being built together into a dwelling for God
Christianity is not just
about believing — it’s about belonging.
We are not isolated believers — we are part of something God is building.
Ephesians 2:1–10 reminds us of the radical
transformation that only Jesus can accomplish. We were not just struggling; we
were spiritually dead in our sin and unable to save ourselves. But because of
His great love and mercy, God stepped in and made us alive in Christ by grace
through faith. Now, as His workmanship, we have been given new life and a new
purpose to walk in the good works He has already prepared for us. Only Jesus
can bring the dead to life, and that changes everything about who we are and how
we live.
Ephesians 2:1-10
By Grace Through Faith
[1] And you were dead in the trespasses and
sins [2] in which you once walked, following the course of this world,
following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in
the sons of disobedience — [3] among whom we all once lived in the passions of
our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by
nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. [4] But God, being rich in
mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, [5] even when we were
dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have
been saved — [6] and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the
heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7] so that in the coming ages He might show
the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [8]
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing;
it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
[10] For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which
God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Why do you think Paul describes our condition
as “dead” rather than just “lost” or “broken”?
What stands out to you most about God’s
character in verses 4–7?
Why is it important that salvation is
described as a gift and not something we earn?
In what ways do people (even Christians) try
to “earn” what God has already given freely?
What does it look like practically to live as
someone who has been “made alive” in Christ this week?
Closing Thoughts
Living on Mission
Living on mission as a group begins with
remembering who we were and celebrating what God has done. Ephesians 2 reminds
us that we were once dead in our sin, but God, in His mercy, made us alive in
Christ — not because of our works, but by His grace. As God’s workmanship, we
now live with intentionality, looking for the good works He has already
prepared for us. This involves
motivating individuals to regard daily environments — such as neighborhoods,
workplaces, and schools — as platforms to communicate their beliefs to others. As a
group, living on mission looks like praying for specific people, caring for
tangible needs, speaking the gospel with boldness, and holding each other
accountable to step into obedience. We don’t go on mission to earn God’s favor —
we go because we’ve already been brought from death to life, and we want others
to experience that same resurrection power.
END
Teacher Notes:
Today we’re going to look at one of the most
powerful passages in all of Scripture Ephesians 2:1-10.
It answers a question that every one of us
has had to face at some point: What is my true condition apart from God… and
what has God really done for me?
What can this child do to change his
condition?
Click Play to Watch
This scene is powerful because we all
recognize what’s happening — a completely helpless situation… and someone steps
in to change it.
This is what God does this morning in
Ephesians 2:1-10 where we read that our condition was just as serious as the
little boys’.
Ephesians 2:1-3
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of
disobedience — among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh,
carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children
of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Paul tells us that our lives were shaped by
three powerful influences:
The world around us
The enemy against us and
The flesh within us
This means our problem wasn’t just what we
did — it was who we were.
Looking back over your life, when did you
first realize you weren’t just “off track,” but truly in need of saving?
Do you think it becomes harder or easier with
age to admit our spiritual helplessness? Why?
Many people spend their lives trying to “be
better,” but this passage reminds us — we didn’t need improvement, we needed
resurrection.
How does the 1st (be better) miss the 2nd
(resurrection)?
Ephesians 2:4-9
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the
great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — and raised
us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace
in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace, you have been saved
through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a
result of works, so that no one may boast.
Can you identify a moment in your life where
you clearly saw “But God…” change your story?
What is the difference between serving God
out of gratitude versus serving Him out of obligation?
How would your daily walk change if you truly
lived as though you had nothing left to prove?
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in
them.
Click Play to Watch
How have you seen God use
your life experiences — both joys and hardships — for His purposes?
If God has resurrected, you from death - what
do you think He wants you to do with that?
No matter your stage of life, God is not
finished with you. There are still steps to take, still works to walk in, still
purpose to fulfill.
Grace doesn’t just rescue you from the past — it calls you into a meaningful future.
