Over the past eight years, I have preached through twelve different books of the Bible. At the start of each new series through a book, I was sure it would be my favorite. I even loved our time in Obadiah, despite it only being twenty-one verses. But last year I preached through the book of Ephesians, and I can honestly say, I don’t know how any other book will top it. I took my time, splitting the six chapters into forty-five sermons. Week after week we dove deeper into the mystery of the gospel and how to apply it to our lives and our congregation. God used the truths of Ephesians to stretch us and grow us. So, if you are looking for the next book of the Bible to preach or teach through, here are five reasons why you should consider Ephesians.
The Gospel Is Everywhere
Both Christians and non-Christians need the gospel, and the gospel is everywhere you turn in Ephesians 1–3. Furthermore, as you make your way through Ephesians, you don’t have to worry about saying the same things about the gospel in the same way because Paul doesn’t. Just look at the first ten verses where he describes the gospel in terms of a spiritual blessing (1:3), being holy and blameless (1:4), adoption (1:5), redemption and forgiveness (1:7), the riches of God’s grace (1:7) and the plan of God in Christ (1:9–10). The first three chapters are saturated with the gospel while the last three chapters give you plenty of opportunities to apply it to your listeners.
God’s Mission of Reconciliation Is Clear
No book in the entire Bible demonstrates the beauty and vastness of God’s mission of reconciliation like Ephesians. Because of sin, all of creation needs to be reconciled to God. As Paul explains in Ephesians 1:9–10, God’s mission of reconciliation is the purpose “set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (ESV). Moreover, Ephesians 1–3 contains the clearest teaching in all of Scripture on the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit’s work in reconciliation.
In his letter to Ephesus, Paul celebrates and explains God’s mission of reconciliation in Ephesians 1, applies it to individuals in Ephesians 2:1–10 and the Jews and Gentiles in Ephesians 2:11–22, and exhorts the church to live it out in their relationships with one another in Ephesians 4–6. Preaching through Ephesians gives us wonderful opportunities to help our congregation understand the depths of God’s mission of reconciliation.
Unity Is an Important Theme
Let’s be honest, everywhere we look there is division and disunity. Every day we listen to the news, get on social media, or talk with others, we are reminded of how divided our world is. Furthermore, even our churches experience times of disunity and division. Thankfully, Paul addresses unity in powerful ways in his letter to the Ephesians.
Preaching or teaching through Ephesians will help you explain the importance of unity and how it is possible in a divided world. Most of our people are sort of resigned to the reality of division because it’s everywhere. But as Paul explains over and over in the second half of the letter, unity is possible because it is God’s plan in Christ. Gentiles and Jews might have been divided, but Christ has become their peace (2:14). Unity is possible through humility, gentleness, patience, and peace (4:1–3). He highlights the oneness we have in Christ (4:4–6). Ephesians will help you highlight the importance of unity.
The Christian Life Is Explained
Paul not only clearly explains the gospel; he also connects it to the Christian life. In the second half of Ephesians, Paul helps Christians understand how the gospel affects our everyday life. He encourages Christians to use the gifts they receive in salvation to build one another up (4:7). He explores what it looks like for believers to live the new life in Christ and how to put off the old self and put on the new self (4:17–32). Because we have been reconciled in Christ, we must “walk in love,” “walk as children of light,” and flee sin (5:1–21). Paul even applies the gospel to our relationships (5:22–6:9). If our congregation is wondering how the gospel affects their everyday lives, preaching through Ephesians will show them.
Paul Offers Hope for Our Daily Battles
The Christian life is filled with daily battles with our flesh, constant temptations from the world, and frequent attacks from our enemy. There are days when we fill like giving up because we are weary, overwhelmed, and discouraged. Thankfully, Paul offers us hope in Ephesians.
In the final main section of the letter, Paul calls Christians to “be strong in the Lord” (6:10) by putting on the armor of God. He acknowledges the “schemes of the devil” (6:11) and the battles Christians must fight (6:12) while encouraging us to put on the armor that can help us persevere through our daily battles.
Every week we stand before brothers and sisters in Christ who have battled all week. They are exhausted, possibly feel defeated, and don’t know if they even want to keep on fighting. Maybe they just don’t know how to stand against the attacks of Satan or how to resist the temptations they face. Preaching through Ephesians can help you encourage them in the fight and offer them hope that faithfulness and victory are possible in Christ.
For these reasons and more, Ephesians is a powerhouse letter that every preacher should consider taking their congregation through. It has gospel. It has mission. It has clear instructions for the Christian life. It has hope. God will use it to grow you and your people in wonderful ways!
