It's time for another Sunday Scripture post! As I've previously
mentioned, I worked on a Bible study of Ephesians for the month of
January and so I've been using this study to write some Sunday Scripture
posts
for the remainder of the winter.
The study I've been working on is the Ephesians Bible study from Good Morning Girls. For the Scripture Sundays, I'll just select some of the verses I have worked on and share how I used the SOAP method of Bible study. For today's lesson, we were to look at Ephesians 4:8-16, but I chose to write out and SOAP verses 11-12 and 14-16, though I will allude to some of the other verses. Here we go:
S= "And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.;
"For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ ...
"That we be henceforth no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men ...
"But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up unto Him in all things, who is the head, even Christ;
From whom the whole body fitly framed together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:11-12, 14-16)
O= In the Scofield Study Bible, this section is titled "The gifts of the risen Christ, and their purpose." Paul lists several categories of gifts: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers. The purpose of these gifts is "perfecting the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ." These people speak the truth in love to help each believer grow and mature in Christ so that none will be deceived. Proper use of their gifts helps the whole body to function as God intends and to build one another up in love.
A= Pastors, teachers, and evangelists have certainly had a part in helping me to grow spiritually. I've also been able to use my teaching gifts to help ladies and children with their own spiritual growth. As we move forward into a merger with another church, I pray that there may be some ways in which I can use my spiritual gifts to help build up this blended local body and to help it function smoothly.
P= "Lord, I thank You for Your design for growth and edification in the body of Christ. I thank and praise You so much for those who have invested their spiritual gifts to help me mature and to build me up in You. I thank You for the spiritual gifts You have given me and for the ways You have helped me use them to encourage others and to help them grow spiritually. As we prayerfully enter into this church merger, I pray that You will give me further opportunities to use these gifts to build up others in the body of Christ. I thank You for all You will do, in Jesus' name, Amen."
And that's our simple study for today! I hope it was a blessing to you.
I love this passage from Ephesians. Yes, I am also thankful for those whom God has called and equipped through Christ to be Apostles, teachers, preachers and just good mentors throughout the years. Even though my hubby was a pastor and me the pastor's wife, I still had much to learn and was very thankful for older women in the Lord ("Titus Woman") who gave me wise counsel and encouraged me when things were difficult. The Christian life is always a process of growing in grace and wisdom and knowledge, no matter how old we are or how much we may have "studied". There's always more to learn. Thank you for this great study today.
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