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Sermon Outline

Ephesians

The Power of the Exalted Jesus

Lesson #3 for July 15, 2023

Scriptures:Ephesians 1:15-23; 3:14-21; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Deuteronomy 9:29; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22; Psalm 110:1.

  1. What does the term the exalted Jesus mean?

[From the Bible study guide=BSG:] Human beings, it seems, are always reaching for more power. Auto manufacturer Devel Motors, for example, showed off the prototype of its Devel Sixteen, a vehicle with a 16-cylinder, 12.3-liter engine producing more than 5,000 horsepower. Or, if that is not enough, consider the Peterbilt semitruck that sports three Pratt & Whitney J34–48 jet engines. Boasting 36,000 horsepower, the truck does a quarter mile in 6.5 seconds and regularly hits 376 m.p.h. before deploying its two parachutes.

In contrast, Paul prays that believers in Ephesus, under temptation to admire the various powers and deities of their culture, will experience through the Holy Spirit the immensity of the power God makes available to them in Christ. This divine might is not measured in horsepower, or magic, but is seen in four cosmos-shifting, salvation-history events: (1) the resurrection of Jesus; (2) His exaltation at the throne of God; (3) all things being placed in subservience to Christ; and (4) Christ being given to the church as its Head (Eph. 1:19–23).?Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* for Sabbath Afternoon, July 8.†‡§

Ephesians 1:19-23: 19And how very great is his power at work in us who believe. This power working in us is the same as the mighty strength 20which he used when he raised Christ from death and seated him at his right side in the heavenly world. 21Christ rules there above all heavenly rulers, authorities, powers, and lords; he has a title superior to all titles of authority in this world and in the next. 22God put all things under Christ’s feet and gave him to the church as supreme Lord over all things. 23The church is Christ’s body, the completion of him who himself completes all things everywhere.?American Bible Society. (1992). The Holy Bible: The Good News Translation* (2nd ed.,Ephesians 1:19-23). New York: American Bible Society [abbreviated as Good News Bible].†‡ [Do we have any idea how Jesus Christ shrunk Himself to fit inside a woman’s uterus?]‡

[BSG:] After summarizing and praising God for His plan of salvation in Christ, Paul, inEphesians 1:15–23, assures his brothers and sisters in Ephesus that he is praying for them to continue to experience salvation through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Paul requests God the Father to give the Ephesians (1) the experience of knowing God through His revelation, (2) the hope that emanates from God’s calling and promises, and (3) the faith through which they might experience the infinite power of the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:17–19).?Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* 39.‡§ [From where was Paul writing this book? Prison!]‡

  1. This lesson focuses onEphesians 1:15-23.

[BSG:] Christ’s power is manifested in two ways. First, we experience Christ’s power through His resurrection. We are spiritually raised to the new life in Christ here and now and have the promise of the future final resurrection for eternal life. Second, we experience Christ’s power through His ascension in that He is seated on the throne of the universe as God, our God, who blesses us from His heavenly places, that is, His heavenly sanctuary. Christ Jesus created the universe and all its physical and spiritual powers; therefore, they are all subordinate to Him. The rebellious spiritual powers that temporarily claimed dominion over the earth are also subordinate to Him.?Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* 39.‡ [Doesn’t God have complete power over the Devil and his angels?]‡

  1. Paul was writing to friends and people he had not yet met in Asia Minor. He was writing from house arrest in Rome. In this section in Ephesians, Paul was focusing on three main themes as outlined in the Bible study guide:
  2. Prayers of praise and thanksgiving are essential for the life of the Christian.
  3. For the Christian, experiencing the transformative power of Christ and of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life is indispensable.
  4. As true Christians, by knowing and experiencing the power of Christ, we can freely live our lives in Him without fearing the rebellious powers of this world.?Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* 39.† [What happened when the Spirit was given at Pentecost? From that point on, the recipients of the “gift of tongues” could speak any language fluently and clearly! (See Acts of the Apostles2.)]‡
  5. Two of Paul’s fairly lengthy prayers are recorded in the book of Ephesians. The first one is the one we are focusing on in this lesson, most of which we read earlier.

Ephesians 1:15-23: 15 For this reason, ever since I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16I have not stopped giving thanks to God for you. I remember you in my prayers 17and ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you the Spirit, who will make you wise and reveal God to you, so that you will know him. 18I ask that your minds may be opened to see his light, so that you will know what is the hope to which he has called you, how rich are the wonderful blessings he promises his people, 19and how very great is his power at work in us who believe. This power working in us is the same as the mighty strength 20which he used when he raised Christ from death and seated him at his right side in the heavenly world. 21Christ rules there above all heavenly rulers, authorities, powers, and lords; he has a title superior to all titles of authority in this world and in the next. 22God put all things under Christ’s feet and gave him to the church as supreme Lord over all things. 23The church is Christ’s body, the completion of him who himself completes all things everywhere.—Good News Bible.*

  1. Paul’s other prayer is found inEphesians 3:14-21.

Ephesians 3:14-21: 14 For this reason I fall on my knees before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth receives its true name. 16I ask God from the wealth of his glory to give you power through his Spirit to be strong in your inner selves, 17and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through faith. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love, 18so that you, together with all God’s people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ’s love. 19Yes, may you come to know his love—although it can never be fully known—and so be completely filled with the very nature of God.

20 To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think of: 21to God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, for ever [sic] and ever! Amen.?Good News Bible.*†‡

  1. Paul was suggesting that we should always be in an attitude of prayer. And considering all that God has done for us, we should know that those prayers should be full of thanksgiving. We should live as if we are in constant contact with divine leading, with God Himself as our Guide. We are not estranged; God is present with us.
  2. Often, we think of prayer as a kind of thing to say before we eat or before we go to bed. It is a kind of add-on to our daily activities; however, not for Paul. Prayer was central for Paul. It was even the primary task of Christian faith.
  3. Paul made very specific the role of the Holy Spirit in our prayers. How does the Holy Spirit affect us?

Ephesians 1:13-14: 13 And you also became God’s people when you heard the true message, the Good News that brought you salvation. You believed in Christ, and God put his stamp of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit he had promised. 14The Spirit is the guarantee that we shall receive what God has promised his people, and this assures us that God will give complete freedom to those who are his. Let us praise his glory!?Good News Bible.*†

  1. What does it mean to say that the Holy Spirit is a stamp of ownership on us? And how is that a guarantee? Do we understand what that would be like?
  2. As we know, Paul’s life was full of opportunities and efforts to reach out to former-Jews as well as to former-pagans—to everyone and anyone who would listen. He would tell them about the love of God and about God’s plan for their lives. He was constantly concerned about the progress of the churches that he had helped to start. At that time, Ephesus was the copying and “publication” center for the Christian church in Asia Minor.

Ephesians 1:16-17: 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him.—The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.* (2016). (Ephesians 1:16-17). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

  1. Paul recognized that the people he was dealing with in and around Ephesus had their minds completely full of strange and bizarre things. The whole culture was oriented around activities in the temple of Artemis/Diana. So, he was praying that their minds would be opened and their vision would be opened to realize how much better God’s plan was for them. More than that, he wanted them to understand what incredible power God had exercised on their behalf: 1) By raising Jesus from the dead, 2) By exalting Him to the heavens above to be seated at the right hand of God, and 3) His plan to do the same for each of us. What would you say to a person who knew or believed nothing about the Bible to convince him/her that Someone could raise Himself from the dead?

Ephesians 1:4: Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be his through our union with Christ, so that we would be holy and without fault before him.?Good News Bible.*

  1. Is it really possible that in advance, God understood everything that was going to be involved in the plan of salvation and all that He would have to do during His time on this earth in order to save us? Even before He left heaven, did Jesus really understand all that was going to happen in His life on this earth?
  2. Paul then picked up an idea from the Old Testament from places likeDeuteronomy 9:29; Deuteronomy 32:9; andZechariah 2:12.

Deuteronomy 9:29: “‘After all, these are the people whom you chose to be your own and whom you brought out of Egypt by your great power and might.’”?Good News Bible.*

Deuteronomy 32:9: “But Jacob’s descendants he chose for himself.”?Good News Bible.*

Zechariah 2:12: Once again Judah will be the special possession of the LORD in his sacred land, and Jerusalem will be the city he loves most of all.?Good News Bible.*

  1. He then expanded that idea, recognizing that God’s plan of salvation was not going to be primarily carried out through the descendants of Jacob, but rather was to be expanded to be carried out by God’s own people in the Christian church.

Ephesians 1:11: All things are done according to God’s plan and decision; and God chose us to be his own people in union with Christ because of his own purpose, based on what he had decided from the very beginning.?Good News Bible.*†

  1. Do we recognize the importance and the incredible power involved in God’s actions toward us every day? Do we realize that the Christian should live his/her life constantly aware of how each thought and every action are impacting God’s plan for the salvation of His people?
  2. How much power does it take to raise someone from the dead? We do not even understand the first steps in that process. We do not understand how life was created in the beginning. We know that God did it. However, we have no idea how He did it. And we certainly cannot duplicate the process no matter how hard we try!
  3. The absolutely astounding thing is that Christ Jesus, having died on the cross and having been buried in a tomb was able to respond when His Father sent Gabriel to call Him; Jesus Christ in His own power came forth from the tomb to ascend back to His position of power in heaven. (John 10:18; 2:19)

Ephesians 1:19b-23: 19b This power working in us is the same as the mighty strength 20which he used when he raised Christ from death and seated him at his right side in the heavenly world. 21Christ rules there above all heavenly rulers, authorities, powers, and lords; he has a title superior to all titles of authority in this world and in the next. 22God put all things under Christ’s feet and gave him to the church as supreme Lord over all things. 23The church is Christ’s body, the completion of him who himself completes all things everywhere.?Good News Bible.*

  1. Obviously, the resurrection of Christ is a major theme in the New Testament. His resurrection is a nonnegotiable belief of the Christian faith.

1 Corinthians 15:14,17: 14And if Christ has not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe…. 17And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins.?Good News Bible.*†

1 Corinthians 15:20-23: 20 But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised. 21For just as death came by means of a man, in the same way the rising from death comes by means of a man. 22For just as all people die because of their union with Adam, in the same way all will be raised to life because of their union with Christ. 23But each one will be raised in the right order: Christ, first of all; then, at the time of his coming, those who belong to him.?Good News Bible.*

Psalm 110:1: The LORD [YAHWEH] said to my lord [a human being],

“Sit here at my right

until I put your enemies under your feet.” [Malachi 4:1]?Good News Bible.*‡

Ephesians 4:8-11: 8As the scripture says:

“When he went up to the very heights,

he took many captives with him;

he gave gifts to people.”

9Now, what does “he went up” mean? It means that first he came down to the lowest depths of the earth. 10So the one who came down is the same one who went up, above and beyond the heavens, to fill the whole universe with his presence. 11It was he who “gave gifts”; he appointed some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, others to be pastors and teachers.?Good News Bible.*

  1. Psalm 110:1 which we read just above is the Old Testament passage which is most frequently quoted or referred to in the New Testament.
  2. Jesus was not just raised from the dead; He also was given authority over the entire universe, going forth to conquer all the evil forces that have been powerful in our world.
  3. Do you recognize God’s power in your life every day? Even every minute? Without God’s power, we could not last even a moment. Every cell and every protein, enzyme, and metabolic process requires God’s power and wisdom to maintain. We need to recognize that, rejoice in it, and praise God.
  4. The people of Ephesus were consumed with the idea of spirits and powers that might control their lives. Paul essentially told them: “Don’t worry, if you are a Christian, you have connections to a power far above any of those.”

Ephesians 1:21: Christ rules there above all heavenly rulers, authorities, powers, and lords; he has a title superior to all titles of authority in this world and in the next.?Good News Bible.*

Ephesians 2:2: At that time you followed the world’s evil way; you obeyed the ruler of the spiritual powers in space, the spirit who now controls the people who disobey God.?Good News Bible.*

Ephesians 6:12: For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age.?Good News Bible.*

  1. A very interesting and somewhat humorous story is recorded inActs 19:11-20.

Acts 19:11-20: 11 God was performing unusual miracles through Paul. 12Even handkerchiefs and aprons he had used were taken to those who were ill, and their diseases were driven away, and the evil spirits would go out of them. 13Some Jews who travelled round and drove out evil spirits also tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to do this. They said to the evil spirits, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches.” 14Seven brothers, who were the sons of a Jewish High Priest named Sceva, were doing this.

15 But the evil spirit said to them, “I know Jesus, and I know about Paul; but you—who are you?”

16 The man who had the evil spirit in him attacked them with such violence that he overpowered them all. They ran away from his house, wounded and with their clothes torn off. 17All the Jews and Gentiles who lived in Ephesus heard about this; they were all filled with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was given greater honour [sic]. 18Many of the believers came, publicly admitting and revealing what they had done. 19Many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burnt [sic] them in public. They added up the price of the books, and the total came to 50,000 silver coins. [One silver coin was a day’s wage.] 20In this powerful way the word of the Lord kept spreading and growing stronger.?Good News Bible.*†‡

[BSG:] “The overriding characteristic of the practice of magic throughout the Hellenistic world was the cognizance of a spirit world exercising influence over virtually every aspect of life. The goal of the magician was to discern the helpful spirits from the harmful ones and learn the distinct operations and the relative strengths and authority of the spirits. Through this knowledge, means could be constructed (with spoken or written formulas, amulets, etc.) for the manipulation of the spirits in the interest of the individual person. With the proper formula, a spirit-induced sickness could be cured, [or] a chariot race could be won.”—Clinton E. Arnold, Power and Magic: The Concept of Power in Ephesians, p. 18.?[as quoted in Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* for Wednesday, July 12].‡?§

  1. The Ephesians believed in many different so-called gods and their ability to name and describe the work of those gods was presumed to give them power.
  2. Today, we do not believe, in general, that evil spirits have power over our lives. But, are there any present-day manifestations that are really caused by evil forces? How can we make sure that we are not caught by them?
  3. Satan is controlling our world; however, he uses many different methods. Music, the Internet, and social media are all means that Satan uses to manipulate especially the young people of our day.
  4. Try to imagine how it would impact your life if you had believed that everything you did and said was controlled by evil forces and, then, you found out that Jesus is superior to all of them, and that you could have a direct relationship with Him!
  5. God not only raised Jesus from the dead and exalted Him to the highest position in heaven, but He also designated Him to be the head of the Christian church.

Ephesians 1:22-23: 22God put all things under Christ’s feet and gave him to the church as supreme Lord over all things. 23The church is Christ’s body, the completion of him who himself completes all things everywhere.?Good News Bible.*

  1. How can we as Christians better understand the role that Christianity and Christ should play in our lives?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: 16 Be joyful always, 17pray at all times, 18be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.?Good News Bible.*†

  1. These words, found in the earliest book that we know about that Paul wrote, are almost a summary of what we are studying in this lesson. Paul was joyful always. He prayed at all times. He was thankful for all that God had done.
  2. To pray without ceasing means always to think and act as if we are in the presence of Jesus Christ because we are!

[From the writings of Ellen G. White=EGW:] When Christ passed within the heavenly gates, He was enthroned amidst the adoration of the angels. As soon as this ceremony was completed, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in rich currents, and Christ was indeed glorified, even with the glory which He had with the Father from all eternity. The Pentecostal outpouring was Heaven’s communication that the Redeemer’s inauguration was accomplished. According to His promise He had sent the Holy Spirit from heaven to His followers as a token that He had, as priest and king, received all authority in heaven and on earth, and was the Anointed One over His people.—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles* 38.3-39.0.‡

[EGW:] The Father’s arms encircle His Son, and the word is given, “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”Hebrews 1:6.

With joy unutterable, rulers and principalities and powers acknowledge the supremacy of the Prince of life. The angel host prostrate themselves before Him, while the glad shout fills all the courts of heaven, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.”Revelation 5:12.

Songs of triumph mingle with the music from angel harps, till heaven seems to overflow with joy and praise. Love has conquered. The lost is found. Heaven rings with voices in lofty strains proclaiming, “Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.”Revelation 5:13.—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages* 834.3-835.1.‡

  1. Do we understand that Jesus Christ Himself rose from the dead in His own power, and then, in cooperation with the Father rose to a position of highest authority in heaven? Do we also understand that God wants to do the same thing for us? What implications does that have for our lives on a day-by-day basis?
  2. Revelation 4:1-4; Revelation 5:6,9-14; andRevelation 15:2-4 give us a little bit of a picture into what Jesus who is called the Lamb is doing in heaven right now.
  3. In this study we are introduced to an important method that Paul used in his writings.

[BSG:] Throughout his Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul uses several conclusive expressions, such as:

  • dia touto ( 1:15,Eph. 5:17,Eph. 6:13, meaning “through,” “because of,” “on account of”),
  • dio ( 2:11,Eph. 3:13,Eph. 4:25,Eph. 5:14, meaning “wherefore,” “on which account,” “therefore”),
  • oun ( 4:1; Eph. 5:1, 7; Eph. 6:14, meaning “therefore,” “then”), and
  • toutou charin ( 3:1, 14, meaning “in favor of,” “for the pleasure of,” “for the sake of,” “by reason of,” “on account of”).

In English translations, such as the NASB [sic], these phrases are translated as “therefore” (Eph. 2:11;Eph. 3:13; Eph. 4:1, 25; Eph. 5:1, 7, 17;Eph. 6:13, 14) or “for this reason” (Eph. 1:15; Eph. 3:1, 14;Eph. 5:14). Thus, Paul first states and describes a theological reality or truth as a foundational section. Then, he develops a “therefore” section to apply these ideas to the life of the church. However, sometimes Paul uses a “therefore” or application section as the foundation section for another “application” or “therefore” section. In this way, Paul progressively expands, develops, and enriches the horizon of his thought on the gospel, the church, and Christian life.

InEphesians 1:11–14, Paul summarizes the essence of the gospel, the platform upon which he places his “for this reason” theology (Eph. 1:15, NASB) and shows how the gospel relates to the church (Eph. 1:15–23), which is comprised of “saints” (Eph. 1:15, 18). The Christians or the saints are those who have faith in Jesus (Eph. 1:15), have “the spirit of wisdom and revelation” in knowing God (Eph. 1:17), and have been enlightened to know Christ’s calling, the inheritance He wants to give us and the superpower of His resurrection (Eph. 1:18, 19). These saints are the church, or Christ’s body (Eph. 1:22, 23). This example of Paul’s “for this reason” theology is the essence of the church.?Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* 39-40.‡§

  1. Paul was bringing to his Ephesian friends—and also to the churches in the surrounding areas—as they read and studied this letter from him the truth that the church is built upon God’s revelation, not any human philosophy or idea about evil powers. The church is built strictly on God’s power and His revelation.
  2. Paul gave a kind of summary of how a Christian should regard the philosophical ideas and positions of many of this world’s leaders.

1 Corinthians 1:20-27: 20So then, where does that leave the wise? or the scholars? or the skilful [sic] debaters of this world? God has shown that this world’s wisdom is foolishness!

21 For God in his wisdom made it impossible for people to know him by means of their own wisdom. Instead, by means of the so-called “foolish” message we preach, God decided to save those who believe. 22Jews want miracles for proof, and Greeks look for wisdom. 23As for us, we proclaim the crucified Christ, a message that is offensive to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles; 24but for those whom God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, this message is Christ, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For what seems to be God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and what seems to be God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

26 Now remember what you were, my brothers and sisters, when God called you. From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing. 27God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise, and he chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the powerful.—Good News Bible.*‡

  1. Compare Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 3.

1 Corinthians 3:19: For what this world considers to be wisdom is nonsense in God’s sight. As the scripture says, “God traps the wise in their cleverness.”—Good News Bible.*†

[BSG:] This attitude to philosophy does not imply that God, Paul, or Christianity reject logic or reason. On the contrary, reason is one of the most elevated human abilities or attributes God endowed us with when He created humans in His image. What Paul communicates here is that the church, or Christian religion, is not founded on the presuppositions and the conclusions of philosophy. Western classical philosophy and, recently, modern science are based largely on the presupposition that there is no intentional, loving, special, specific, propositional divine revelation. Rather, what Western philosophy and modern science posit is a human rational, mystical, or psychological effort to reach toward God or to a certain divine realm. This thinking is a reversal of the Christian faith.

Paul adamantly insisted that the church is not, and cannot be, the product of human philosophy or science, or their presuppositions and conclusions.?Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* 41.†‡

[BSG:] The church is not a two-tiered society, comprised of a philosophical, enlightened, intellectual elite on one side and simple and ignorant people on the other. Rather, in the church, all church members are enlightened and are recipients of God’s revelation and wisdom. This idea is the Christian foundation for the concepts of grace and unity.?Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* 41-42.‡§

  1. God proved His superiority over all evil forces by coming down to the tomb of Jesus, calling out His name, and observing as Satan and all his evil angels scattered as Christ came forth from the tomb.

[BSG:] For this reason, the Seventh-day Adventist Church felt the need to express this gospel truth in the form of fundamental belief 11, titled “Growing in Christ”:

“By His death on the cross Jesus triumphed over the forces of evil. He who subjugated the demonic spirits during His earthly ministry has broken their power and made certain their ultimate doom. Jesus’ victory gives us victory over the evil forces that still seek to control us, as we walk with Him in peace, joy, and assurance of His love. Now the Holy Spirit dwells within us and empowers us. Continually committed to Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, we are set free from the burden of our past deeds. No longer do we live in the darkness, fear of evil powers, ignorance, and meaninglessness of our former way of life. In this new freedom in Jesus, we are called to grow into the likeness of His character, communing with Him daily in prayer, feeding on His Word, meditating on it and on His providence, singing His praises, gathering together for worship, and participating in the mission of the Church. We are also called to follow Christ’s example by compassionately ministering to the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of humanity. As we give ourselves in loving service to those around us and in witnessing to His salvation, His constant presence with us through the Spirit transforms every moment and every task into a spiritual experience.” [Address is in the Bible study guide but not as a hyperlink—Available from https://www.adventist.org/growing-in-christ ]?[as quoted in Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* 42-43].‡

  1. What have we learned in this lesson? How can we spread the truth? What can we do to help other church members and especially those around us in the world? How can we help them to realize that God’s power is active in their lives and what an enormous blessing God has planned for them?

©2023, Kenneth Hart, MD, MA, MPH. Permission is hereby granted for any noncommercial use of these materials. Free distribution of all or of a portion of this material such as to a Bible study class is encouraged. *Electronic version. †Bold type is added. ‡Brackets and content in brackets are added. §Italic type is in the source. ?Brackets and the content in brackets within the paragraph are in the Bible study guide or source.                                                                                Info@Theox.org

Last Modified: July 9, 2023