Unity in the Body (Ephesians 4:1-6 NLT)

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) How did the Apostle Paul refer to himself in this passage of the epistle? (v.1)
2) What did Paul urge the readers of this epistle to do? (v.2-3)
3) Why did the apostle urge Christ's disciples to behave in such ways? (v.4-6)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Generally speaking, how patient, gentle and humble are you toward your brothers and sisters in Christ?

LIFE LESSONS
5) It is necessary for all members of the body of Christ to maintain unity through love, humility and patience.

Love of God! (Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT)

14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does the Apostle Paul pray for the readers of this epistle? Why? (v.14-19)
2) Why does the apostle glorify God? (v.20)
3) How does Paul conclude this passage in his epistle? (v.21)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) How do you pray for new converts to Christianity?

LIFE LESSONS
5) As disciples of the Lord Jesus, we are commanded to teach them how to live as Christians.

The Least Likely (Ephesians 3:8-13 NLT)

8 Though I am the least deserving of all God's people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. 9 I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. 10 God's purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence. 13 So please don't lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) How did the Apostle Paul describe himself in this passage of Scripture? (v.8a)
2) Despite Paul's shortcomings, what did the Lord entrust Him to do and why? (v.8b-11)
3) What can we do because of our faith in Christ? (v.12)
4) What does the apostle tell his readers to refrain from doing? Why? (v.13)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) Have you ever questionned whether the Lord could use you despite your past? If so, briefly describe one such time.
6) Has the Lord ever used you despite your own feelings of inadequacy? If so, please describe one instance in which you were used by the Lord.

LIFE LESSONS
7) Our abilities have little to do with the Lord's calling on our lives.
8) Our inadequacies do not negate the Lord's purpose in calling us to a specific ministry.

The Privilege of Servanthood (Ephesians 3:1-7 NLT)

1 When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles . . . 2 assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. 3 As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. 4 As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. 5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets. 6 And this is God's plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God's children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. 7 By God's grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) How does the Apostle Paul refer to himself and what was his responsibility to the Gentiles? (v.1-2)
2) What did the Lord reveal to the apostle? Who else did the Lord reveal His plan to? (v.3-5)
3) What is God's plan and why did He give Paul the privilege of revealing it to others? (v.6-7)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) In what ministry, or ministries, has the Lord entrusted you to serve His people?

LIFE LESSONS
5) Followers of Christ are privileged to serve God through His grace

Prayer for Disciples (Ephesians 1:15-23 NLT)

15 Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God's people everywhere, 16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called--his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. 19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else--not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does the Apostle Paul pray for the disciples at Ephesus? Why? (v.15-19b)
2) What does the apostle write about the power that is at work in the believers he wrote to? (v.19c-20)
3) What does Paul write about our Lord Jesus Christ and His authority? (v.21-23)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) How do you typically pray for those with whom you fellowship at your local church or in ministry?

LIFE LESSONS
5) One aspect of loving others, as ourselves, is to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ to grow spiritually.

God's Gift of Grace (Galatians 6:11-18)

11 NOTICE WHAT LARGE LETTERS I USE AS I WRITE THESE CLOSING WORDS IN MY OWN HANDWRITING. 12 Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don't want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13 And even those who advocate circumcision don't keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples. 14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world's interest in me has also died. 15 It doesn't matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God's peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God. 17 From now on, don't let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus. 18 Dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Why were false teachers forcing their legalism upon the Galatians? (v.12-13)
2) What did the Apostle Paul write about himself? (v.14)
3) What matters in God's kingdom, according to the apostle? (v.15)
4) Who are the "new people of God"? (v.16)
5) What did the apostle no longer want to be troubled by? Why? (v.17)
6) How did Apostle Paul close his letter to the Galatians? (v.18)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) What are you most proud of in your walk of faith?

LIFE LESSONS
8) By the Lord's design, children of God can never boast about earning our salvation, because it is a gift of God.

Our Freedom in Christ (Galatians 5:7-15 NLT)

7 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? 8 It certainly isn't God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. 9 This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! 10 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you. 11 Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised--as some say I do--why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended. 12 I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves. 13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) How did the Apostle Paul commend the Galatians and what question did he ask them? (v.7)
2) How did the apostle answer his own question? (v.8)
3) What did Paul say that the false teaching was like? (v.9)
4) What was the apostle trusting the Lord to do? (v.10)
5) What else did Paul ask the Galatians and what was his response to his question? (v.11)
6) What was the apostle's wish concerning the false teachers? Why? (v.12-13a)
7) How were the Galatians to use their freedom? Why? (v.13b-15)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
8) How do you use your freedom in Christ?

LIFE LESSONS
9) We are to use our freedom in Christ to serve our spiritual brothers and sisters in the love of Christ.
10) Strife in our relationships with other believers is one sign that we are satisfying our sinful nature rather than living a Holy Spirit led life.

Living by the Spirit [Galatians 5:1-6 NLT]

1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law. 2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 I'll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. 4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace. 5 But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. 6 For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does the Apostle Paul tell God's children about themselves and warn them against? (v.1)
2) What does Paul tell legalists that they must do if they insist on keeping the law to become righteous? Why? (v.2-4)
3) What do those who live by the leading of the Holy Spirit wait for? Why? (v.5-6)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Do you know of anyone who insists on earning their righteousness through "works of the flesh" (self-effort or legalism)? If so, what if anything are you doing to help them?

LIFE LESSONS
5) The Holy Spirit, working in and through the Word of God and other believers, is the only one who can enlighten those who insist on keeping "rules" to earn their righteousness.  

Deceptive Teachings (Galatians 4:8-20 NLT)

8 Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. 9 So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world? 10 You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years. 11 I fear for you. Perhaps all my hard work with you was for nothing. 12 Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles--free from those laws. You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you. 13 Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News. 14 But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God or even Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. 16 Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth? 17 Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them. 18 If someone is eager to do good things for you, that's all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when I'm with you. 19 Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I'm going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. 20 I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don't know how else to help you.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who, or what, were the Gentile converts slaves to before their conversion? (v.8)
2) Though they were known by God, who or what were the Gentile believers turning to? Why? (v.9-10) 
3) How did the Apostle Paul feel about their backsliding and what did he plead with them to do? Why? (v.11-12b)
4) What was Paul's physical condition when he first preached the gospel to the Gentile converts and how did they treat him then? (v.12c-14)
5) What did the apostle ask and remind the Gentile believers of when they first received him? (v.15-16)
6) What did the apostle write concerning the false teachers among them and warn them of concerning their behavior? (v.17-18)
7) What other feelings and thoughts did the apostle share with the Gentiles? (v.19-20)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
8) Has your faith in the Lord faltered because of the teachings of those who did not bring you to faith in Christ?

LIFE LESSONS
9) The Lord uses His Holy Spirit, and the counsel of Godly people, to correct us when we are led away from our faith in Him.
10) Any person, or thing, that leads us further away from the truth of God's word is false.

Dead to the Law (Galatians 2:17-21)

17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law--I stopped trying to meet all its requirements--so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) How are we made right with God? (v.17a)
2) What does the Apostle Paul ask those who have sinned after being saved and what is his conclusion? (v.17b-17c)
3) What does Paul tell us that we are if we attempt to keep the law? Why? (v.18-19a) 
4) What happened when we tried to keep the law before we were justified by faith in God and how do we live the Christ life instead? Why? (v.19b)
5) What happened to our "old self"? (v.20a)
6) Who lives within every believer instead? (v.20b)
7) How are we to live the Christ life in these mortal bodies? (v.20c-d)
8) What does the apostle say about the "grace of God" and what makes Christ's death meaningless? (v.21)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
9) Are you dead to religious traditions (legalism) and alive to the leading of the Holy Spirit?

LIFE LESSONS
10) Christ kept the law perfectly, so that all who believe on Him would no longer have to.

Only One Gospel (Galatians 1:6-10 KJV)

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Why did the Apostle Paul marvel about his brethren at the churches of Galatia? (v.6-7)
2) What did the apostle say about anyone who taught a gospel that differed from the gospel of grace? (v.8-9)
3) Who did Paul seek to please? (v.10)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Have you, or anyone else you know, strayed from the gospel of grace? If so, what if anything did you do to correct the erroneous belief.

LIFE LESSONS
5) The only true protection from deception in this last hour is to know the Truth of God's word and what the gospel really is.