Welcome to 12:13! Need to use the bathroom? Ask one of the parent volunteers. Need handouts from a previous week? Ask one of the parent volunteers. Need to borrow a pen? Loan the parent volunteers a shoe and they will loan you a pen! Need to talk with your friend? Before or after class is OK, but not during.

The Greatest Story Ever Told How To Read And Understand EPHESIANS (Part 3)

Bible Bowl Rules May 23  Bibles CLOSED! (ESV)  Level 1 -- Qualifying Round  20 questions seconds each  Teams of three (any grade)  Level 2 -- Competition Round  20 questions seconds each  Top 5 teams from each grade  Level 3 -- Championship Round  Top team from each grade  Prize: Team Trophy and $10 Gift Cards!

Bible Bowl Sample Questions What have we obtained in Christ? (1:11) Inheritance What did Jesus create on the cross in place of the old categories of Jew and Gentile? (2:15) “one new man” Complete this phrase: “What is the breadth and length and _____ and depth” (3:18) Height

The Interpretive Journey: Four Steps To Understanding The Bible Grasping The Text In Their Town Measuring The Width Of The “River” Crossing The Principlizing Bridge Grasping The Text In Our Town

Ephesians 6:10-13 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

Step One: Grasping The Text In Their Town What did the text mean to the biblical audience? Observe the grammar Research the culture and history Study the literary context Pull it all together

Step Two: Measuring The Width Of The “River” What are the differences between the biblical audience and us? Culture Language Situation Time Covenant

Step Three: Crossing The Principlizing Bridge What is the theological principle in this text? Taken from the text (not just my opinion) Timeless (not tied to a specific situation) Universal (applies to people in all cultures) Agrees with the rest of Scripture Relevant to today’s audience

Step Four: Grasping The Text In Our Town How should individual Christians today apply the theological principle in our lives? One principle can have many applications

Mad Gab Mania! Sample: Owe Pin Arts Her Jury Knead Tomb Oath Hug Harass Some Arrow Limp Hicks Eight Wean Gull Any Size

Ephesians 1-6: Why God Has Done This God has chosen us, saved us, united us, and revealed his great love to us… but why? For Showing His Grace For Displaying His Wisdom To All Creation

For Showing His Grace “My Fair Lady” Who Gets The Praise? Who Deserves The Glory? The bigger the challenge, the better the reputation

Reflection: Ephesians 2:4-7 “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 Displaying His Wisdom To All Creation Through the church Foolishness to the world (1 Cor. 1:27) Salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16) To the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places Guess who is watching? (1 Pet. 1:12)

To God Be The Glory! Missionary Bill McChesney “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

podium Table for water/OJ Table for coffee table Starting Point -- Revised 5/16/10 14 chairs 14 chars